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Title: Bill of Sale of Coram Ture[?] & Co., Made Out to Mess. Waren & Burr, Cincinnati, January 29, 1849
Author: Coram Ture & Co., Warden & Burr
Geography: Cincinnati (Ohio), Hamilton County (Ohio), Ohio
Identifier: yhm-spe-sha-lh-rel-008
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Bill of Sale of J. Sherman & Co. to Mr. A. Hough, Albany, New York, September 6, 1839
Author: Hough, A., J. Sherman & Co.
Geography: Albany (N.Y.), Albany County (N.Y.), New York
Identifier: yhm-spe-sha-lh-rel-007
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Current Record of Events from 1792 to 1885
Author: (Author)
Notes: A community journal for Shaker Village, East Canterbury, New Hampshire, 107 pages. Includes digital images of each page, transcription of the text, and TEI encoding of all names and places.
Geography: New Hampshire, Canterbury (N.H.)
Is part of: Shaker Collection

Title: List of thirteen names, Shakers, Mt. Lebanon, New York
Geography: Mount Lebanon (N.Y.), Columbia County (N.Y.), New York
Subjects: Postcards -- Shakers, Postcards -- New York (State) -- Columbia County
Identifier: yhm-spe-sha-pos-ml-084
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 01 (January 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-01-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “ I WILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE on ALL NATIONS sIIALL COME ; AND I WILL FILL THIs HoUsE WITH GLORY, SAITH THE Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprio. VoL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY, N. Y., JANUARY, 1871. No. 1. Salutatory. To the Public :-Knowing it to be duty, to do all the good we can to our fellow travelers on the journey of life, withhold- ing the knowledge of no good thing——im- pressed with the conviction, that there lies within our power the possibility of doing more good than heretofore; and being urged continually, by friends of reform, to communicate to the world of mind our ideas of life and happiness as viewed from the Shaker platform, are the reasons for our taking the bold step of appearing be- fore you, as solicitors of your attention to the columns of THE SHAKER. Claiming no distinction on the grounds of erudition, but, bowing beneath the re- buke of learned criticisms, we mean to tell you from our humble position, where...
Show more“ I WILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE on ALL NATIONS sIIALL COME ; AND I WILL FILL THIs HoUsE WITH GLORY, SAITH THE Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprio. VoL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY, N. Y., JANUARY, 1871. No. 1. Salutatory. To the Public :-Knowing it to be duty, to do all the good we can to our fellow travelers on the journey of life, withhold- ing the knowledge of no good thing——im- pressed with the conviction, that there lies within our power the possibility of doing more good than heretofore; and being urged continually, by friends of reform, to communicate to the world of mind our ideas of life and happiness as viewed from the Shaker platform, are the reasons for our taking the bold step of appearing be- fore you, as solicitors of your attention to the columns of THE SHAKER. Claiming no distinction on the grounds of erudition, but, bowing beneath the re- buke of learned criticisms, we mean to tell you from our humble position, where, in our understanding, lies “the pearl of great price,”——Christ, or the kingdom of heaven on earth; thus explaining the peculiar testimony and life of the people, called Shakers. The policy of THE SHAKER will be, to treat of a more excellent way of life, than is the ordinary practice of the multitudes. It will be devoted to the cause of religious truths; devoid of specu- lative theories of a theological nature. It will aim to illustrate life, in accordance with God’s pleasure; and in conformity with the operation of that “quickening spirit,” that resurrects souls above the plane of earthly selﬁshness, where the spirit of mine is cast out, and the Pente- costal system of community of goods is in full exercise. It will be the aim of THE SHAKER to keep before the public mind the necessary distinction between life on the earthly plane, however proper, and the heavenly, or angelic life, however humble. It will not fail to contend that the celibacy of the Angel plane, is a necessary com- ponent of eternal life, and practiced with propriety on the earth, by those who love to think of its reality in the heavens; while admitting the propriety of marriage and procreation by those who have not risen suﬂiciently in love with the Christ life. It will advocate peace; deprecating, and expressing disbelief in the necessity of wars, whether of households or of nations ———Christians never did, never can ﬁght. THE SHAKER will ever meet corres- pondents, in its various communications upon “ Does Christianity admit of private property?” with a negative answer, from the most advanced reasons of a spiritual life. Its freedom from the arena of politi- cal parties will conserve the righteous idea It sketch, biographically, the founders early communicants of the Society; illustrate life, as it is enjoyed by Society at present. will and and the The poetical senti- of those whose name it bears. Inents of society will ﬁnd an exponent in THE SHAKER; while “Answers to Cor- respondents” will receive due attention. It will advocate temperance in all things; and urge reformation and resurrection from the earthly, sensual life, to a life “ eternal in the heavens.” Friends of reform—— lovers of wisdom—-—servants of Grod—aid us; bless our efforts to do good. Extend the cause of Christ to the notice of your neighbors; and let us all seek to walk “the way,” learn “the truth” and live “ the life ”—being imitators of the beauti- ful Jesus —— Christ. . * Who are the Shakers? Historically and derivatively considered, the Shakers have their rise from the French prophets, a class of Divinely inspired dis- senters from the Catholic and Protestant church of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, as the legitimate fruit of the Reformation. They were religious revi- valists of a very remarkable character, called fanatics, and are to be prominently numbered among the few witnesses of the true Christ church during the gloomy reign of Antichrist. In future pages of our paper a more full history of them may be properly given. Their testimony, in substance, was “ The end cf the world ” in all followers of Christ; and they were the harbingcrs to declare the near approach of the kirzgdom of God; the establishment of new heavens and a new earth; the hingdorn of the ]VIes- siah ; the marriage of the Lamb ; the first resurreclwn from the dead; the planting of the New Jerusalem. About 1706, some of these spiritual new lights and prophets went from France to England. About 1747, a small number of these witnesses, in the neighborhood of Manchester, Eng- land, were led, by Divine, spirit inﬂuence, to form themselves into a society for mu- tual support, physically and spiritually, under the ministration of James and Jane \Vardly; and the ﬁrst pioneers of the Shaker Church were distinguished mem- bers of this Society, among whom Ann Lee became the acknowledged, divinely inspired leader, and aispiritual mother, and the Eldress of this infant Church. The name of this Church, “SHAKERS,” was given them in derision, by the world, as descriptive of the religious exercises of body by which the members of this Church were affected during the seasons of their devotion to God, as the fruit of that spirit- ual baptism, under the inﬂuence of which they were bearing a testimony of God’s truth, which was shaking the foundations of Antichrist’s kingdom. So that the title, “SHAKEns_,” though given in de- rision and persecution, was appropriate, and as providentially applied as was the title, “KING on THE JEws,” given to Jesus by the persecuting Jews. Ann Lee became the acknowledged Eldress of the Shaker Church in the year 1770, while in England, so that it now has survived a century. A more extended history of the Shakers’ rise and progress to the present day, may. perhaps, appro- priately form the subject of future notices in our periodical. WHAT ARE THE SHAKERS? As national citizens, they are observers of the counsel of Paul, and recognize civil magistrates as powers of God, for the government of worldly citizens; hence, Shakers are law—observing and law-abiding. As politicians they are nondescripts, and, in fact, not to be found; they are, truly, non-essentials! As socialists, or, relative to society ar- rangements, they are Christian Commun- ists; the property of a Community is com- mon to all, and each, of the members forming that Community, but not common to all the communities belonging to the household of faith county, State, or country, except in a moral, charitable and religious sense, in which sense all property dedicated to the Com- in the same town, 2 THE SHAICER. munity is consecrated to one general end and purpose-——2'. e., the support of the Gospel, and to religious and charitable purposes; and, in this sense, is common to all the members of the household of faith, so that for these sacred purposes all the communities are taxed according to their several abilities. In reference to national, political economy, as applicable to the dis- posal of public lands, they are agrarian in principle; at least largely so. Religiously considered, the Shakers are Revolutionists, Reformers, Comeouters, Revivalists, Newlights, Second Adventists, and Spiritualists, in meaning. strictly con- formable to the instructions of Jesus Christ. They are Ascetics, but only in a limited sense; they are Christian Celi- bates, but not of the monastic order and character, as the sexes dwell and associate together; they are not Sectarians, but simply Christians ; they are lovers, and free, but not “free lovers ” in the sense of that term as applied to a class of misled, modern Spiritualists; they are not lovers as carnal men and women, but only as disciples of Jesus and John; they arefree, but not to lust or love as carnal men and women, but free from the bondage of sin and aiworldly life, and from the shackles of theology and priesteraft; they are Spirit- ualists par excellence, but only in a Chris- tian light, that, to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace ;———believe in continuous revelations from God to man, mediatorily; they are Bible believers after the following manner : 1st. That it is the most important com- pilation of books known to man. 2d. That it contains (not the word of God), but a record of the WORD OF GOD in the Law of Moses, and in the testimony of Jesus and the primitive Christians. The VVORD OF GOD is a living power. In the words of the apostle, “Sharp, power- ful, piercing, to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, the joint and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and in- tents of heart.” The Bible record is not this power ! V The Shakers accept Jesus after he was baptized with the Christ, as the ﬁrst born son of God, the elder brother of a large family of sons and daughters of God, con- stituting the Christian Church of the New and Spiritual Creation of God ; they do not believe ‘Jesus was a God, but is our guide and life exempler; believe him to be the Sauz'om' of men par excellence; but only the Elder of a large class of “ Saviours ” that “shall come up on Mount Zion” to- “judge the Mount of Esau, and the king- dom shall be the Lord’s.” Obadiah, 21st. Thisikingdom is Christ’s Church of the ‘latter day, the New Creation of God. Shakerism. )Vhat is the meaning of the term? VVe shake a carpet, as we do grain to remove something from it that is not an integral portion ' of the fabric. Parents and school teachers sometimes shake a child for a similar purpose, to separate a fault from its character. This nation has recently been shaken from center to cir- cumference, in the effort to divest the Constitution of an evil that was ramifying itself into the Constitution and institutions ofall the States and territories in the Union. Thus it was said to a city, “ Shake thy- self from the dust, O Jerusalem ;” (Is. 52: 2.) “All men of the earth shall shake at my presence;” (Ezek. 38: 20.) “I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; ” 2 : 7.) One said, “ The foundations of the earth do shake; (ib. 2: 21.) “Yet once more, and I will shake not only the earth, but the heavens also.” “The stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then shall the kingdoms of the earth MOURN. And they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven. with power and great glory.” “ And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet (preaching), and they shall gather together his ELECT from the four winds of heaven.” the carcass shall be. thither will the eagles be gathered together,” from among the Gentiles into Community Order, as in the ﬁrst appearing of the Christ Spirit to the Jews. yet only as a kind of ﬁrst-fruits ; because it could not have been permanent, for two reasons : First. The race was not yet prepared to continue to furnish enough of the Elect who should be celibates, non-resistants, “ For wheresoever Then was a Community formed, spiritualists, who would cease to swear, or vote, or speculate. V _ Second. The Civil Governments had not yet become “the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ;” and they would not permit the practice of Christ principles-—- Christian Communities. The Pentecostal Church——Com1nunity—— came under the action of these two forces. By the third century they had fallen into marriage, private property, and war; and then refused to allow others to practise what they had fallen from. The Gentile State determined what the Jewish Christ- ian Church should be on earth ; thus “treading down the holy city.” In the spirit land, this—the Pentecostal Church was continued, and “ increased with the increase of God,” up to the time I of the second appearing of Christ; and is ‘the Bridegroom Church. It received its inspiration from the heavens still above, from the Christ Spirit, which is as the right hand of Deity to all free moral agents; and was as the Sun to spiritually enlighten the earth. But it shone upon a dark, benighted race, sunken in sensuality —Christian Pagans, or Pagan Christians. Let it be borne in mind, that near two thousand years have intervened between the time of the First Christian Church and the day in which we live. Think of that! and consider the condition of this earth’s civil governments then and now. Rome was the ruling power over the Gentile world; and even Judea was one of the conquered nations. The Pentecostal Church was masculirze in its organization and rulers; resting upon the Eastern world——the male of the earth. VVhat then, had the race to wait for, in a second‘Com- ing of the Christ Spirits? Why, for the female of the earth———the Gentile VVestern world—to come up to the “ Pattern showed in the Mount.” The First Christian Church, composed of the descendants of Abraham, with their permanent and ever-perfecting organiza- tion, that had been “ caught up to God,” in the spirit world, out of the reach of the “ dragon ” Pagan power, from whence it inspired the “w2't7zesses—stars”—— who, having shone upon the dark earth for a season, themselves “fell to the earth,” by “marrying and giving in marriage.” Approaching the time of the Second Appearing of the Christ Spirits, the “sign ” is seen of the Son of Man——Co- operative, Associative, Communistic efforts —in the most advanced nations, as Eng- land, America, France and Germany, The foundations of the earth are being discovered, and found to be much out of course——Wrong. Reproduction, Property, VVars, Theologies, Civil Governments, Or- ganizations, and Institutions, are wanting perfection. Yet, in all the Churches, which the Spirit has raised up, throughout these two thousand years, the religious element has had a place and inﬂuence, from the Roman Catholic to the Oneida People; good has been done, and is pro- gressing the race. But then, all of these are still doing what the Pentecostal Church did not do, and what the Christ Spirit (coming not in atmospheric clouds, but “in the clouds of heaven”——Shaker Communities)—- saves the Shakers from doing——“ marrying and giving in marriage.” Thus laying the foundationsof new heavens and earth upon the “Rock” of sexual purity; a new and spiritual relation of‘ the sexes, free from all the “trouble in the ﬂesh,” which comes of mixing the ﬂesh and Spirit as in Gentile Christianity. TIIIE Do not all the “ tribes of the earth mourn because of him ?”—because of the testimony that thus “ bruises the head” of the sensual propensities—the lusts of the ﬂesh, taking the very life itself of the gen- erative man and woman by celibacy and virgin purity. Let it once become an established, Christian doctrine, that the highest Christ lifewis a celibate, virgin life, with its corol- laries, and will there not be mourning in J erusalem”——“ the temple of God”-i—-the Gentile Christian Church, in which the “ man of sin” sits enthroned? CE_LIBAoY.——Its history is of great im- portance in the religion of all cultivated It existed in the Therapeutes of “ great nations. Egypt. the Essenes among the Jews (out of which came the founder of Christianity), and among the asceties of all othernations, and ﬁnally culminated in Christianity, as the corner stone of a new system. ~ Jesus, the Celibate Founder of this new system, was born of a virgz'n mother, thus connecting the two orders of natural repro- duction and spiritual reproduction togeth- er; He was witnessed unto by John, the celibate Jewish Baptiser; and was sup- ported by twelve men who had either been married, or had, “ for Christ’s sake and his Gospel,” forsak- en all family relation; thus altogether founding a Church that has hitherto been, and still is, the ideal of heaven upon earth —the Pentecostal. This Celibate Jewish Church, after an existence of some 300 years, relapsed into the Jifonastery and .l\.7mmery of the Constantine Gentile Church, which has ever accepted the celi- bate principle as the one essential of a pure, Christian life. »The celibacy of its higher class of saints, and of the priest- hood, no less than of its monastic orders, puts that beyond the region of debate. Of the clean animals that entered the ark, by sevens, Jerome says, the odd number de- notes the celibated which will do to go with some of the proofs and conﬁrmations of there being three individualities in Deity. Respecting the progress of the Monastic movement, Leckey reports, that, “in the fourth century, it was no less rapid than that of Christianity itself. Egypt appears to have been the home of the celibates, being of all other nations the most ad- vanced in civilization. Thus we read of there being seven thousand monks under St. Pacliomus; ﬁve thousand under a sin- gle Abbott, in the desert of Nitria. That a certain city included twenty thousand virgins, and ten thousand monks. And that towards the end of the century, the Monastic population, in that country, nearly equaled the population of the cities.” St. Jerome states, “that ﬁfty DCVCY thousand monks were sometimes assembled at the Eastern festivities in Alexandria at one time.” Even in pagan Rome, “the Flamens of Jupiter, and the Vestal Virgins, were the two most sacred orders.” (Ibid.) “And the land (Christendom) shall mourn, every family apart, and their wives apart,” or as a more correct translation, “ every husband apart, and every wife apart :” for the wife is a part of the family. The husbands of the house of David (the rulers) apart, and their wives apart. The husbands of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart. The husbands of the house of Levi (the priesthood) apart, and their wives apart.” Their gods and their priests being gone, What have they left ? This is what remains to them: “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David (the rulers) and to the inhabitants of Jerusa- lem,” (priesthood and all; for it is like priest, like people) “for sin, and for un- cleanliness.” “ It shall come to pass that, in all the land,_saith the Lord, two parts shall be cut off and die; but the third part shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the ﬁre, and will reﬁne them as silver is reﬁned; and Will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name and I will hear them. I will say it is my peo- ple; and they will say the Lord is my God.”———(Zeeh. xiii.) These are the Elect, whose number shall eventually be proportioned to the exigen- cies of the case, always regulating popula- tion in the natural order, who will be as seed to reproduce and continue the race, when all forms of evil shall ﬁnd no place in the Millenium of human life upon the earth; any more than it does upon thou- sands of other globes which we may be sci- entiﬁcally permittted to hope and believe have never departed from the condition of “very good,” in which they ﬁrst left the hand of Omnipotent Holiness. “ The angels who gather the Elect from the four quarters of the earth,” are from the Resurrection or Seventh Heaven, nigh unto Deity, surrounding the throne of the Eternal Parentage. These, in their ag- gregated capacity, are the Christ of God to the illimitable Universe of heavens and earths that ﬁll immensity. For as marbles to the school-boy, so are globes in the hands of the ultimate “ Almighty.” “All souls,” upon whatever planet they may reside, “ are mine,” saith Deity. F. W. E. “ Mad as Christians user] to be, About the thirteenth century, There’s lots of Christians to be had, In this, the nineteenth, just as bad.” BIOGRAPHICAL. Ann Lee. Ann Lee was the daughter of John Lee, of Manchester, Eng. She was born Feb. 29, 1736. Her father was a blacksmith; and though poor, was known to be respectable in character, moral in principle, honest and punctual in his dealings, and in his business, very _industrious. Her mother was noted for her piety. As was common with the children of the poor in manufacturing towns, Ann was early taught to work, but never attended any school ; she thus acquired a habit of industry, but was entirely ignorant of letters. From being an employee in a cotton factory, she be- came a cutter of hatter’s fur; and was a faithful, prudent cook in the Manchester In- ﬁrmary for some time. There was discovered in her childhood, a bright, sagacious mind, bordering on precocity ; with a. seriousness that never permitted her to engage in the plays of her juvenile companions ; while they played, she retired, and held converse with the inhabitants of the angel-land. As she. arrived at maturing womanhood-—at that age which commonly engulfs all thoughts of spir- ituality, and calls for action in the sphere of the marital and sensual—Ann was impressed with the odiousness of sin, and the depravity of humanity, in its longings to transcend the laws of nature, given for the multiplication of the race; and so abhorrent did these snares of sin appear to her soul, that she resolved never to marry. But nature in her, prone to the earthly, demanded indulgence; and, con- trary to the teachings of her earlier visions, she yielded, through the importunities of others, and was married to a. blacksmith, na.med Stanley. ' By him, she was the mother. of four children, all of which died early. Ann and her husband lived at her father’s house ; and so far as adaptability of dispositions to each other’s happiness, this was in their pos- session, excepting those seasons when the convictions of her youth would come upon her with such crushing force as to bring her under the deepest tribulation of soul. In this age of advanced soul-light, and spiritual intelli- gence, we know that many are familiar with this experience. And when Ann sought re- lief from the bondage to sin she felt her soul was in, giving herself no rest day nor night, but prayed and cried in agony to God for deliverance, her husband sympathized with her, and partook strongly of her convictions. Husbands, take notice. While under this great distress of mind, she became acquainted with the Society of people under the direc- tion of James and Jane \Vardley 3 and as she found them in possession of a greater degree of divine light, with a scathing testimony against those sins she herself had been so strongly convicted of, she eagerly embraced their manner of life, in the twenty—third year of her age. These people were spirituatly directed to an oral confession of every sin they had com- mitted; and being enlightened, more than ordinarily, as to what sin was, they took up a full cross against everything they knew to be evil ; hence, they really experienced an en- 4 THE SHAKER. during power over sin, unknown to those con- verts, who feel mentally relieved from the fear of the punishment of sin, but whose hearts are uncleansed and full of sinful desires —being yet under the dominion of nature de- praved. Ann was one of a class of individu- als, which can never be persuaded that their salvation and redemption is to be obtained for them, through the vicarious sufferings of another, good or bad. As an example of her exertions to free herself from sin, witness her testimony: “Soon afterl began to travail in the way of God, I labored many nights in. the works of God. Sometimes I labored all night, continually crying to God for my own redemption; other times I went to bed, and slept; but in the morning, I could not feel that sense of the Work of God which I did before I slept. This brought me into great tribulation; and I cried to God, and prom- ised him, that if he would give me the same mind that I had before I slept, I would labor all night. This I did many nights; and in the day time I put my hands to work, giving my heart to God ; and when I felt weary and in need of rest, I labored for the refreshing power of God, which did relieve me, so that I felt able to go to my work again. “ l\Iany times when about my work, I felt my soul overwhelmed with sorrow ; then I used to work as long as I could keep it con- cealed, then run to get out of sight, lest some one should pity me with that pity which God did not. In my tribulation, my sufferings were so great, that my ﬂesh consumed upon my bones, and a bloody sweat pressed through the pores of my skin, while I became as help- And when I was brought through, and born into the spiritual kingdom, I was just like an infant born into the world. It sees colors and objects, but it Ien.ow.s- not what it sees. So it was with me, when I was born into the spiritual world; but before I was twenty-four hours old, I saw, and knew what I saw I” ”“ (To be continued.) less as an infant. Items. “ The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads.’ ’~Isaiah. Heaven and hell are states or conditions of the soul of man ; they are not objective to man, but positive, being in him. “ So speak to God as if men heard you.” “ Deﬁle not the mouth with impure words.” “ The immortal gods accept the meanest altars that are reared by pure devotion; and sometimes prefer an ounce of frankincense, honey, or milk, before whole hecatombs of Sa- boean gems, offered in ostentation.” “ Let every young man plant trees, that he may have something to give him pleasing re- collections of his youth.” To disarm an enemy, sweeten his mouth with honey and his recollections with kindness. The fire of forgiving love will melt the heart frigid with anger. “ Spare moments are the gold dust of time.” “ Sands make the mountain, moments make the year; improve time.” iRe-organization without Disinte- gration- CHURC H —— STATE. What God hath put asunder, let not man join together again. There is in the country a Sectarian movement of some extent, to put into t'“e United States constitution the theological terms, God and Christ. The Shakers are the only body of relig- ious people who at this present time could not exist within, and ﬁnd protection under They alone can make their community homes the laws, of every civilized nation. only in and under the protection of a non- sectarian republic, a. separate church and state government. The Shakers pray for these unhappy agitators: O, heavenly Father and Mother —G0d, “forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And to our fellow Amer- ican citizens, without exception, we do most solemnly appeal to prevent the con- summation of this misconceived, mischiev- ous project. Let well enough alone. IVho, more than the Shakers, believe in the whole of the God-head——a Duality? Yet, above all other, we would raise our voices in thunder-tones; to be heard by the souls of the revolutionary fathers, who are marching on before us in the spirit-land, against this worse than Trojan horse being introduced into our civil government. All God-believers and Christ-proclaim- ers may well pause in serious contempla- tion of the wonderful fact in our national history, that while Pagans, Jews, Catho- lics, Protestants, Deists, Pantheists, Free- thinkers, Atheists, Materialists, all united in achieving our national independence, it is to the skeptical classes that we are largely indebted for the religious and civil liberty which we enjoy. Jeﬁerson, the inditer of the Declaration, that all men are equal by nature, irrespec- tive of color or creed; no one having the right to coerce another in matters of men- tal speculation or theological belief, was but a fair type of the whole class of repub- lican organizers, having Franklin and Tho- mas Paine, the Deists, as his bosom friends. If a kind Providence thought ﬁt, in its wisdom, to employ these skeptical powers -—H0rns, which had grown out of the beast, Christendom——-to found a civil government on the basis of universal freedom, having an entire separation from its parallel relig- ious organization, the Shaker Church, that ignores wars as the basis of religious persecution, would it not be the most pre- sumptuous impiety in theological and reli- gious people again to join together by an organic change of the national compact, things which God had thus signiﬁcantly put asunder? F. IV. E. “He who can suppress a moment’s anger may prevent many days of sorrow.” JUVENILE DEPARTMENT. A Dialogue. Written for, and rehearsed at an Annual Social Gathering, in Canaan Pine Grove, N. Y., by Ann, Martha, Mary J., Charlotte, Me- lissa, Margaret, Sarah and Catharine. A.—Beloved Gospel Companions: You will not be surprised if I tell you, that I expect to take solid comfort to-day ; an in- crease of pleasure and satisfaction has attended each social feast in this pleasant grove, where our enjoyment is enhanced by an interchange of thought and feeling, and where we always meet loving friends; noble souls of the prom- ised land; I can but exclaim with joy and gladness, it is good to be here! and I believe that many of my young companions can reciprocate the feeling. Mary.-—I can most heartily, for, On wings of the morning all joyous and strong, Pure love and sweet union come bounding along‘, Ready and willing to aid us at least. By seeking a part in our true social feast. Mar.———(Comes forward with a joyful clap- ping of hands.) 0 gladly we welcome companions like these! '.[_‘hat bring us the freshness of days early breeze- That bring us a. calmness, cause joy to abound, And cover with blessings this clear hallowed ground M.—- Lift ! lift now the curtain that veils from our sight The glories immortal in realms ofpure light 2 0 what is the vision our spirits behold? Its wonders, its beauties, can never be told; They are in the future for all who will prize Pure love and sweet union in every guise. S.—— Away with all sadness and lay aside care, Rejoice in the present, of every good share-— [g,ive, Be ﬁlled with that peace which the world cannot And noble enjoyment in which we may live ; For Itight, and not illight, is the law of our band, In each blessed gift we unite heart and hand. C.—Cheered by the happy sentiments you have expressed, I would ask a share in your circle of union, hoping to engage with you in an interesting and profitable conversation. A.-——You are welcome! we would not ex- clude from our midst any of our companions who feel interested in adding to our gift of union. M artha.—As your invitation is universal, with pleasure I accept; I have not ascertained the topic of conversation which is to engage our attention ; but will tell you what I thought this morning as the sunlight burst in full splendor over the eastern horizon, ﬂooding the earth with its glory, and bathing the landscape in its liquid beauty; my spirit was enraptured with the sight; a thousand visions passed be- fore my mind, visions of real things too; God’s glorious works in their inﬁnitude and perfec- tion, presented a theme for reflection and con- versation. Mar.—Thoughts similar to these passed through my mind; the earth never appeared more beautiful, the surrounding scenery seem- ed wrapt in lovliness, a picture worthy of the poet’s penpor the artist’s pencil. I am glad that you have introduced this subject, and I know we will be pleased with your company. S.—I wish Charlotte was here; I think that she would be interested in (the subject of) i\Iartha’s proposition. THE SHAKER. 5 Char.—I was only waiting for an invitation. M.—VVhy ! Ann gave a general one. Char.——I wanted a special one; but as you seem somewhat animated and joyous, I readily unite with you in dilating upon the beauties of Creation—vast Creation, which speaks with voice unchangeable of the goodness and Omniscience of the Almighty; just think of the formation of our beautiful earth ! l)I.———ln speaking of the formation of the earth, I feel somewhat interested, as I have commenced reading the Bible, intending to ﬁnish it by course; I should like to obtain as correct an understanding of it as possible. lVe are informed that the heavens and the earth, and all that is contained therein, were created in six days. Martha, do you not think, that days were used ﬁguratively, as expressive of periods of time P Martha.—I believe it is the conclusion of scientiﬁc men that each day was a distinct and separate epoch, and the wonderful geological discoveries that have been made, prove that the earth is much older than we have record of; this assertion they substantiate from the formation of the strata of rocks, and the sub- stances found imbedded in them; many other remarkable revelations have been and are being made in connection with the science of Geology. Mary.—-—'.l‘hey tell us too, that great changes have taken place since the organization of the world; where rivers once ﬂowed, vegetation now teems; and where were the verdant val- lies, now the voice of waters speak. Cities have disappeared beneath the volcano’s molten lava, or have been destroyed by the earth- quake’s mighty shock. S.-——Of volcanic eruptions and the earth- quake’s fearful shock, we need but read the" last pages of history to ﬁnd thereon portrayed, the horrors of their devasting work. C.—“ Change is marked on all things seen; we sometimes think and speak of nations, em- pires and institutions as enduring, and so they seem as we view them for a moment; but they rise and fall as the tidal waves of the Ocean, by medium of an invisible, immutable power which survives through all their changes.” A.—How beautiful is earth ! from its ele- ments of growth are transformed thousands of charming objects which delight our eyes. W'itness the vegetable kingdom :' in the course of one year trees increase their foliage, and buds, leaves, fruits, ﬂowers and their seeds are renewed, yielding bountiful favors to man. Char.—One would think, that after so many ages of replenishment, its treasures would be- come exhausted; but they are constantly re- newed from the unseen realm of nature, where powerful agencies are unceasingly, yet silently at work producing the wonderful operations wrought in the material Universe. M ar.——W'onderful indeed are the productions of nature 1 Trees, plants, ﬂowers and grasses (the most beautiful of which are the cereals), all teem with delightful existence, drawing sustenance from Mother Earth, who is faithful in the renewal of strength and life. S.—-—W'hen speaking of the grasses, Margaret mentioned the cereals; I should like to know the meaning of the word cereal. Char.——Have you never read of the ancient Gods and Goddesses who were supposed to preside over the destinies of men? S.——I learned something of the heathen deities in connection with Astronomy, such as Jupiter being the God of Heaven, Mars the God of war, and Neptune the God of the seas. Of the female deities there was Flora the God- dess of ﬂowers; Vesta the Goddess of ﬁre, Astrea the Goddess of justice; and many more; all the planets were named after their imaginary divinities——but I believe, that I never heard of Cereal. C.—It was Ceres——she was the Goddess of grain and harvest; and is represented carrying a sickle and sheaf; through her blessing, ﬁelds of golden grain were perfected and harvested into their garners as proper food for man; hence came the word Cereal. Mary.—VVas Astronomy known to the ancients P A.—Certainly, and was taught in Egypt, India, Chaldea and Greece long before the Christian era. The ﬁrst astronomers were shepherds and herdsmen; they were led to the study, by observing the movements of the heavenly bodies, while watching their ﬂocks in the ﬁelds. They, however, entertained the erroneous idea that the earth was ﬂat, and that the sun, moon and stars actually revolved round it, as they appear to do every twenty- four hours. _ Martha.-—It was not until the beginning of the sixteenth century, that the true system or theory of Astronomy ,was promulgated by Copernicus, a Prussian Astronomer. This was about eighteen years after the discovery of America by Columbus. Char.—-The greatest antiquity boasted of in science is agriculture. History records, that for ages it was the only art practised by man- kind. The Chinese, Chaldeans and Phoeneci- ans, held in their highest estimation the art of husbandry. By this science we obtain all that is necessary for food and nourishment. An ancient writer remarked that agriculture was the mother of all the sciences; for while she ﬂourished the others fared prosperously. Cicero, the great philosopher, spoke of the pleasure be derived from cultivating the land even in his old age. It was not the product alone that delighted him, but the virtue and nature of the soil itself, which, when in its softened and subdued bosom, it receives the scattered seed; it ﬁrst conﬁnes what is hid- den within; then, when warmed by the sun- light and its own compression, it spreads, and elicits from the verdant blade that, which, sustained by the ﬁbres of the roots, grows up and develops the fruits of the ear. S.-—What can be more beautiful than a ﬁeld of wheat ready for the harvest? See how each slender stem gracefully bears the well ﬁlled head! And as you glance across the ﬁeld, it looks like a summer sea when the breezes are at play, causing the shadowy waves to pass over it. Surely with promises replete for the future is the beautiful ﬁeld of wheat. Mar.—To observe the progress of life, whether in the animal or vegetable kingdom, is highly interesting to an investigating mind. But here man, with all his science and skill, can achieve nothing; he may plant and water, but God alone givcth the increase. M.—It is said that industry is the guardian of innocence, and what requires more of the spirit of industry than the tillage of the land ? Or, what labor is in itself more innocent P It is the ﬁrst of which we have any account. Adam was placed in the garden of Eden to dress and keep it. The Israelites were com- manded not to delay to offer of their ﬁrst ripe fruits unto the Lord. Three times in a year they were to keep a feast; ﬁrst, the feast of unleavened bread; second, the feast of the har- vest, the ﬁrst fruits of‘ their labors which they had sown in the ﬁeld; third, the feast of in- gathering, at the end of the year. Thus down through all the succeeding ages in the history of our race, we ﬁnd (as Charlotte remarked) that agriculture was pre—eminent as the founda- tion of man’s physical wants. C.——The farmer, of all laborers, is the most independent; on the product of his toils man- kind depend for subsistence; ’t is his to plow, to sow, to cultivate, and reap the fruits of earth; which alone are the proper building material for the house we live in. For God said: “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of the earth, to you it shall be for meat,” even so to the lower animal creation. Mary—If we could only look back through the dim vista of a century, and behold the changes wrought (by diligence and exertion) on consecrated ground, among these lovely hills, we would be somewhat surprised. Over land once stony and uncultivated, the mow- ing machine now passes smoothly, and the plow upturns the sod of many a ﬁeld, whose soil in its natural state would yield but scanty vegetable life. A.—’T is true, our home, now pleasant and comfortable, was once almost in a wilderness state. But how has industry prospered ! and now (’neath the sunshine of God’s bless- ing) it teems with vegetable life and beauty, a peaceful and happy abode. Martha-—‘-All honor to the farmer! he needs no sculptured work of art to perpetuate his name; the verdant ﬁelds bespeak his praise; and the murmuring streams, which course their way through smiling meadows, shall sing sweet requiems to his memory long after he has ceased to sow ond reap. And those extended lines of walls (so nicely laid), will they not stand as monuments to commemorate his life of industry? Char.——C-ertainly they will. (To be continued.) Dr. Franklin, in summing up the evils of drunkenness, says: “Houses without win- dows, gardens without fences, ﬁelds without tillage, barns without roofs, children without clothing, principles, morals or manners.” I CAN’T.——‘‘ Shame on you, the expression is bad enough on the tongue of infancy. To that of manhood or womanhood it is a disgrace. How do you know you ‘can’t’? Have you tried? W'ell, if you have, try once more. The task before you may be very difﬁcult. “That if it is? It is then often the more worthy of per- formance. Courage, then, young man, or young woman, whoever you be ! Resolve to know no such word as ‘ can’t.’ ”—— College Review. 5 THE SHAKER. MISCELLANEOUS. Visit to the Shaker Settlement. “ Last, but not least, comes up the remem- brance of my visit to the Shaker Settlement. That is a leaf in memory to which I shall often turn. I have it all before me now. Its broad acres of rich land; the trees laden with ripe golden fruit,-—eve1-ything growing in rich pro- fusion that heart could wish for; the substan- tial pleasant built houses; the cheerful ways of the Well-ordered families ; the great broad- backed, soft-eyed cows, themselves partaking of the quiet, gentle ways of their keepers,-—the rich, pure milk drawn from their udders by the pretty young Shakeresses; the young brother who passed on before us, showing us his stock (and with an air of pride pointingout his best) with his broad-hrimmed hat, fat, rosy cheeks, and bright black eyes,—all these things make a bright picture that will never fade. “ As I passed from one to‘ another and saw the calm, happy look on each, I could not but Wonder of their inner lives,—-what of their hopes and fears, &c., &c. * * * * “ As these things crowd my mind, the tall, slender ﬁgure of ‘Sister Sarah comes 11p be- fore me. Her kiiid, motherly ways gave me the conﬁdence to ask what I would. She told how, at seven years of age, her- mother had brought her from the far-off hills of Vermont, and laid her an offering upon God’s altar, con- secrating her to His service. Fifty years have passed since then, and her testimony now is, ‘ I am happy.’ VVhat a lesson for the world- ling ! I scanned that placid face; no mark of discontent was there ; no hard—drawn lines had settled round any of the features, but a peaceful, happy expression, telling of the beau- ty of her life. As I looked at her I wondered if, when ﬁfty-three years of my life had passed, I should be able to bear the same testimony. And then I said to her: ‘Have you never in all these long years longed for the pleasures of the world ?’ VVith an eye beaming with truth fulness and a voice full of sweetness, she said: ‘Nay, sister, never.’ With this testimony I was led to believe what I had never thought before, that the Shakers are a happy people. All that I saw led me to think it. It is surely no convent life with its rigid laws and penances; no dark vaults or gloomy cells ; no high walls or grated windows. Strong, willing hearts are there, bearing a ﬁrm but gentle rule. A ready obedience from all, gives birth to the good order and happiness that are so plainly visible. As I passed through the cool, pleasant rooms, seeing the happy faces and hearing the cheerful voices of old and young, and seeing the well- ﬁlled larders, I thought, ‘ 0, what a home for the hungry, what a rest for the weary!’ I know it is very unromantic to talk of being hungry; but as I am of the earth, earthy, I confess I was able to do justice to the sweet Graham bread and golden butter, the fresh milk, cakes, pies and fruit that were set before us. And then there was such a delicate polite- ness in the offering of this lunch, almost making us feel that it was by accident, while we knew it was placed there especially for us. After feast- ing on these good things, we were led back to the reception room by gentle Sister Sarah. I could not but express my thankfulness for the kindness she had manifested and the plea- sure I had realized, and looking into her clear, calm eyes, I longed .or a place in her love and memory; and when I asked her to grant me this boon, bright tears gathered in those soft eyes, and she bent over and imprinted a fervent kiss on my face. I shall never forget the plea- sure of those sweet lips; and like the child Whom the great Napoleon kissed, must ever keep that spot sacred. I do not know that it was so, but I shall ever cherish the idea that when the dewy tears gathered in those soft eyes and that warm kiss was given, there went up a prayer for my eternal welfare. Be that as it may, I shall ever pray for one who was to me so kind, and I look forward to the time‘ when I shall rest beside the River of Life and hold sweet converse with the gentle spirit of Sister Sarah. MARY FRANCES CARR. Duality of the Deity. Say first of God above or man below, \Vhat can we reason, but from what we know.” On this first principle, we believe it is a self-evident fact that God is dual. Two great principles united constitute Deity. The fact is referred to by the Apostle Paul. “The invisible things of Him, from the foundation of the world are clearly seen, being under- stood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead.” Rom. i. 20. In the things that are made, or the universe, from inanimate matter up to man, we see the manifestation of two great, fundamental principles, viz: male and female. As God is the cause, of which the universe is the effect, and as every effect is like its cause, and the effect_ is positively male and female, it logically follows that the cause must be male and female. Thus it is equally true whether we say that God is male and female, or that an inﬁnite perfection of the male and female principles is God. At the creation, God (speaking as we think to his counterpart) said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness. So God created man in his own image and like- ness. In the image of God created he him, male and female created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam.” Gen. i. 26, 27. Gen. v. 2. Here we see it took both the male and female principles to consti- tute Adam, who was created in the likeness of God. Thus it is emphatically stated that God made man male and female in his own image, which of course must be male and Every stream is like its fountain, and every kind of fruit like its parent tree. I/Ve wish to be understood, when we say that mere physical development but imper- fectly shadows forth the great distinctiveness of sex, more radically and beautifully ex~ pressed in the peculiar affectional, intellectual, moral, and spiritual natures of each, exquis- itely adapting the sexes to each other’s asso- ciation. Could God any more impart the distinct female element to man, unless it was a con- comitant part of his own being, than he could impart to man, intelligence, love or goodness, unless these principles existed in Deity? Think of a God creating man, with the noble fem ale . qualities of intuition, reason and justice, him- self utterly devoid of these principles. Then think of the absurdity of his creating a uni- verse half bearing principle or female, while in his own nature, he embodies only the male principle. Jesus Christ was the ﬁrst who revealed God as a father. God as a mother, will only be fully manifested in his second appearing. Though the term father implies mother; as natural things are typical of spiritual. And Jesus hath said, “\Nisdom is justified of all her children.” Mat. xi. 19. Luke, vii. 35. \Visdo1n, in these languages, is used in the feminine gender. Therefore wisdom having children is a mother. The same being re- ferred to many times in sacred writ we quote a part. Doth not wisdom cry, “Receive my instruction and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When he prepared the heavens I was there, when he appointed the foundations of the earth. Then I was by him, as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him ?” Prov. viii. Here we have it in plain language, that wis- dom as the bearing spirit is the mother of all living, co—existent with the Father, rejoicing always before him «as one brought up with him. This could not consistently apply to Jesus Christ, as the son of God, as the term son signifies a created being, hence not the first cause, or God; as father, must exist prior to son, and God is not a created being, but existed from everlasting. That it does apply to the Holy Ghost, we fully believe. For in the sense we have quoted Wisdom, we think the terms synonymous. Here we ﬁnd a consistent way to look through nature up to nature’s God. Can there be a more natural or consoling idea than to view God as our Heavenly Parentage, father and mother? lVe have had earthly mothers kind and tender to us. Shall we then reject their true type, a Heavenly Mother, and voluntarily cast ourselves on the ocean of existence, half orphan? lVe think the prevalence of this semi- atheism accounts in great measure for that deplorable want of wisdom, love and truth among men. For “ He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul ; and all they that hate me, love death.” Prov. viii. 36. On the other hand, the awful prevalence of sin and corruption is one prominent cause why mankind reject their mother in God. “ For into a malicious soul wisdom will not enter, nor dwell in a body that is subject to sin.” The legitimate tendency of incorrect views on this subject, is to disorganize the whole creation of God. And as the female princi- ple, is not recognized in Deity, of a conse- quence, it is but partially recognized in humanity; so that womanhood finds the curse pronounced upon her, “ Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee”—Gen. iii. 16,--redoubled, by the ignor- anee and tyranny of man. I presume our readers are aware that some nations to-day deny her claims to immortality, whose laws THE SHAKER. I *7 make merchandize of her, a condition in which her highest prerogative is to be a slave. Shocking barbarity! But how much does civilized man improve upon this, while he denies her any rights but such as he chooses to grant? His conception of how she may subscrve his interest or pleasure may be more elevated than that of the Hindoo or Mussul— man, but while he claims the prerogative of ruling her absolutely, for his own pleasure or interest, is not the principle the same ? It is suggested that benevolence and love on the part of man should be sufficient to guarantee justice to woman. Though this were true, still woman has inalienable rights as natural and sacred as those accorded to man. And rights which man by law or other- wise has no right to infringe upon. ‘We are aware that ajust conception of woman’s true sphere has increased with the progress of civ- ilization, as indeed it always must. But we must not conclude from this that perfection has been attained. Never! until we ‘wash our hands clean from the rust and barbarism of ages of error, and practically confess to the principle that the rights of nature and justice, are paramount to the long established rights of custom or power. My friends! the right of power is the tyrant that waves his iron sceptre over earth’s suffering millions, consigns the destiny of thousands to the nod of one, tramples on the weak and oppressed, and robs the defenceless. The history of woman’s unnatural slavery to this principle, is the history of the infamy and degradation of our race, in all ages, and among all nations. The increasing interest in, and agitation of the subject of woman’s rights, woman suf- frage, &c., are convincing evidence that the Waters of truth are troubled, and a living prophecy that progress will be made in this direction. But we believe that woman’s true sphere can be fully comprehended only by those who recognize the fact that God is mother as well as father. The promulgation of correct views of deity must ultimately result in the proper elevation of woman, and of a conse- quence, the race. Andthus through the usher- ing in of a purer and higher social system of righteousness and peace, we look for. the dawn of the Glorious Millennium. C. E. S. Growth. , Our entrance into this world is not accom- panied with minds stored with problems, mathematically solvel, nor with consciences graded to the admeasurement of what is right or wrong. VVe enter this sphere with innate faculties capable of progress ; the unfolding of which is very gradual. As infants, we see colors, hear sounds and observe forms; but not until the faculties have been educated to distinguish the colors, classify the sounds, separate form from size, and size from weight, do they become any more beneficial. to ourselves or others, than the precious oreimbedded in the extra- neous shale of the earth. This must be mined ; subjected to the processes of crushing, wash- ing, smelting, etc., before the gold can be of service to any, or ﬁtted to be moulded into the multiform uses of gold. » But the gold is none the less‘ gold, when mixed with quartz, than in its ‘service EC the most noble enterprises. The untutored child of nature, who, know- ing only those needs which at the moment press upon him, makes no provision for the future, more than the raven for its food; yet there is in him an inherent consciousness of a higher power than himself; he “sees God in storms, and hears him in the winds; ” when necessitated to retire without his usual meal, it is the punishment of the Great Spirit for his wrong doing; but when there is plenty of game, food in abundance, then are the gods pleased, and the heart of the savage made glad; and here we see untrained intuition. Making the distinction between right and wrong, being an intellectual process, is perfect or imperfect, correct or incorrect, according to the degree of the mind’s education into the divine lihgt. To humanity is granted a knowledge and power that are denied to the brutal. These are used almost without limit, for the beneﬁt or harm of the race; not merely that portion of it cotemporary with ourselves, but affecting the posterity of ages yet to come; and we ﬁnd the blessings and iniquities of ages past acting on the platform of earth to-day ! Is it gener- ally consideredihow-much we encourage the growth, or retard the progress of the Millen- nium to our fellows or successors? and when the great law of compensation is enforced, how shall we stand affected? There is in man the will and power to be kind, or to do harm. In his depraved condition, he retaliates wrongs done him, and apparent wrongs to his friends; distributing animosity, ‘not only to the actual assailants, but often to the innocent relations. The first process of elevating such degraded humanity, is to enlighten it. If a man is physicallydiseased, then give him physiological and hygienic instruction and treatment to meet the case. If morally wrong, let him feel the administration of justice, and taught the gold- en rule. If spiritually degenerated, like the gold amid the accumulated quartz, let there be a process of separation, of burning the dross, until the gold only shall remain ; and this can only be done by the action of the divine ele- ments on the individual, as operates the sun and rain in the production of “ first the blade, then the car, then the full corn in the ear.” [Religious life is not perfected at a bound, nor by momentary conversion. Generations will pass, andthe individual of to-day will yet see a way of progression. Moses was a school- master, and taught his people of righteousness on the earthly plane. Subsequent prophets foretold a glorious and more perfect day, when the knowledge of the Lord should not only enlighten us as to things of earthly righteous- ness, but to encompass the whole man, “ as the waters cover the sea; ” and this knowledge is found illustrated in the character of Jesus——- the Christ —who was the ﬁrst individual who put an end the world in himself. In him, we find the fully—developcd spiritual man. In him, may be seen the elements of eternal life! In us, may be discovered “the pearl of great price,”———eterna1 life—covered up with much earthly quartz; and the soul’s dissatisfaction will search out the gem, and then, when found, will we sell all the quartz of an earthly life, and buy the new fieldyof life, that alone con- tains our redemption ! II. B., Watervliet, N. Y. POETICAL. Lines, Suggested by a Visit to the Shakers, -near Albany. BY CHARLOTTE CUSIIMAN. 1. Mysterious worshippers ! Are ye indeed the things ye seem to be. Ofearth, yet ofits iron influence free From all that stirs Our being~‘s pulse, and gives to ﬂeeting life [strife ? ” What well the Hun hath termed “ the rapture of the 2. i A re the gay visions gone, Those day dreams of the mind by fate there ﬂung, And the fair hopes to which the soul once clung? And battled on ; Have ye outlived them? All that must have sprung And quickened into life when ye were young? 3. Does memory never roam To ties that, grown with 5 cars, ye idly sever, To the old haunts, that ye have left forever Your early homes; Your ancient creed, once faith’s sustaining lever, The loved, who erst prayed with you——now may never? 4 Has not ambition’s pazan Some power within your hearts to wake anew To deeds of higher emprise——worthier you, Ye monkish men, Than may be reap’d from ﬁelds ?—-do ye not rue The drone-like course of life ye now pursue ? 5. .. The camp, the council, all That woos the soldiers to the ﬁeld of fame- That gives the sage his meed—the bard his name, And corona1— Bidding a people's voice their praise proclaim; Can ye forego the strife nor own your shame? 6. Have ye forgot your youth When expectations soared on pinions high, And hope shone out in boyhood’s cloudless sky, Secming all truth- When all look’d fair to fancy’s ardent eye, And pleasure wore an air ofsorcery ? 7. You, too E what early blight Has withered your fond hopes, that ye thus stand, A group of sisters ‘mong this monkish band ? Ye creatures bright! Has sorrow scored your brows with demon hand, And o’er your hopes pass’d treacher_v’s burning brand? 8. Ye would have graced right well The bridal scene.-——the banquet or the bowers, Where mirth and revelry usurp the hours- \Vhere, like a spell, Beauty is sovereign, where man owns its powers And woman’s tread is o’er a path of ﬂowers. 9. Yet seem ye not as those VVithin whose bosoms memory’s vigils keep, Beneath your drooping lids no passions sleep, And your pale brows Bare not the tracery of emotions deep- Ye seem too cold and passionless to weep! Answer To “ Lines by Charlotte Cushman.” We are indeed the things we seem to be, Of earth. and from its iron inﬂuence free ; For we are they, or halt, or lame, or dumb, “ On whom the ends of this vain world are come.” V-Ve have outlived those day-dreams of the mind- Those ﬂattering phantoms, which so many bind. All man made creeds (“ your faith’s sustaining lever,”) We have forsaken, and have left forever! To plainly tell the truth, we do not rue The sober, godly course that we pursue ; But ’tis not we, who live the dronish lives, But those who have their husbands or their Wives ! But if by drones you mean they ’re lazy men, Charlotte Cushnian, take it back again ; For one with half an eye, or halfa mind, Can there see industry and wealth combin’d. Your visit must have been exceeding short, Or else your brain is of the shallow sort. 8 THE SE[A1{ER. If camps and councils—soldiers, “ ﬁelds of fame,” Or yet, :1 peoples praise or a people’s blame, Is all that gives the sage or hard his name, \Ve can “ forego the strife, nor own our shame.” ‘What great temptations you hold up to view For men of sense or reason to pursue! The praise of mortals !-what can it avail, When all their boasted language has to fail? “ And sorrow has not scored with demon hand, Nor oier our hopes pass’d Treachery’s burning brand;” But where the sorrows and where treachery are, I think may easily be made appear. In “ bridal scenes,” in “ banquets and in bowers ” 3-- ’Mid revelry and variegated flowers, Is where our mother Eve first felt their powers. The“‘oridal sceue,”you sa_v,\ve‘d“grace rightwell” I33 “ Lang sync ” there our first parents blindly fell !— The bridal scene Z—Is this your end or aim? ” And can you this pursue “ nor own your shame? ” If so, weak, pithy, superﬁcial thing, Drink, silent drink, the sick Hymenial spring. The bridal scene ! the banquet or the bowers, Or “ woman’s [bed of thorns, or] path ofilowers,” Ca.n’t all persuade our souls to turn aside To live in ﬁlthy lust or cruel pride. Alas 1 Your path of flowers will disappear, Even now a thousand thorns are pointing near; Ah, here you ﬁnd base “ treacher_v’s burning brand,” And sorrows score the heart. nor spare the hand. But here “ Beauty ls sovereign,” so say you, A thing that in one hour may lose its hue, It lies upon the surface of the skin- Aye, Beauty‘s selfwas never worth a pin; But still it suits the superﬁcial mind- The slight observer of the human kind ; The airy, ﬂeety, vain, and hollow thing, That only feeds on wily ﬂattering. “ Man owns its powers?”—and what will man not own To gain his end, to captivate, dethrone? The truth is this, whatever he may feign. You’ll ﬁnd your greatest loss his greatest gain ; For like the bee he will improve the hour, And all day long he ‘ll buzz from ilow’r to ﬂow’r, And when he sips the sweetness all away, For aught he cares the ﬂowers may all decay. But here each ’other’s virtues we partake, W'here men and women all those ills forsake ; True virtue spreads her bright Angelic wing, VVhile saints and seraphs praise the Almighty King. And when the matter ‘s rightly understood, You ’ll find we labor for each other’s good; And this, Charlotte Cushman, is our aim, “ Can you forego this strife, nor own your shame ? ” Now if you would receive a modest hint, You‘d keep your name at least, from public print, Nor have it hoisted. handled round and round, And echoed o‘er the earth from mound to mound, As the great advocate of(O, the name 5) Now can you think of this, nor “ own your shame P ” But Charlotte, learn to take a deeper view Of what your neighbors say, or neighbors do ; And when some ﬂattering knaves around you tread, Just think of what a SHAKER GIRL has said. S. E. A Concise Statement or run PRINCIPLES or run SHAKER CHURCH, ACCORDING TO run GOSPEL or run PRESENT ArrnA1t.iNcno1«‘ CHRIST, AS HELD TO AND PRACTISED BY run FOLLOWERS or THE LIVING savroun. lst. Vile believe that the ﬁrst light of sal- vation was given or made known to the patri- archs by promise; and they that believed in the promise of Christ, and were obedient to the command of God made known unto them, were the people of God, and were accepted of Him as righteous, or perfect in their gener- ations ; according to the measure of light and truth manifested unto them; which was as -water to the ancles signiﬁed by Ezekiel’s vision of the holy waters (chapter 47). And altho’ they could not receive regeneration or the fullness of salvation from the ﬂeshly or fallen nature in this life; because the fullness of time was not yet come, that they should receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire; for the destruction of the body of sin, and puriﬁcation of the soul. but Abram being called, and chosen of God as the father of the faithful, was received into covenant relation with God by promise; that in him (and his seed which was Christ) all the fami- lies of the earth should be blessed, and these earthly blessings, which were promised to Abram, were a shadow of gospel or spiritual blessings to come: and circumcision, though it was a seal of Abram’s faith, yet it was but a sign of the mortiﬁcation and destruction of the ﬂesh by the gospel in a future day. Ob- serve, circumcision did not cleanse the man from sin; but was a sign of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and ﬁre: which is by the power of God manifested in divers operations and gifts of the spirit, as in the days of the apostles ; which does in deed destroy the body of sin, or ﬂeshly nature, and purify the man from all sin, both soul and body. So that Abram, though in the full faith of the prom- ise, yet as he did not receive the substance of the thing promised, his hope of eternal sal- vation was in Christ, by the gospel to be at- tained in the resurrection from the dead. 2d. The second dispensation was the law that was given of God to Israel, by the hand of Moses ; which was a further manifestation of that salvation which was promised through Christ by the gospel, both in the order and ordinances which was instituted and given to Israel, as the church and people of God ac- cording to that dispensation; which was as waters to the knees, Ezekiel 47, by which they were distinguished from all the families of the earth. For, while they were strictly obedient to all the commands, ordinances, and statutes, that God gave them, they were ap- probated of God according to the promise for life; and blessing was promised unto them in the line of obedience: cursing and dcath,»in disobedience : for God, who is ever jealous for the honor and glory of his own great name, always dealt with them according; to his word ; for while they were obedient to the command of God and purged out sin from amongst them, God was with them, according to his promise. But when they disobeyed the com- mand of God, and committed sin, and became like other people, the hand of the Lord was turned against them; and those evils came upon them which God had threatened; so we see that they that were wholly obedient to the will of God, made known in that dispensa- tion, were accepted as just, or righteous: yet as the dispensation was short, they did not attain that salvation which was promised in the gospel; so that as it respected the new- birth, or real purification of the man from all sin, the law made nothing perfect, but was a shadow of good things to come; their only hope of eternal redemption was in the promise of Christ, by the gospel to be attained in the resurrection from the dead. Acts of the Apostles xxvi. 6, 7. 3d. The third dispensation was the gospel of Christ’s first appearance, in the ﬂesh: and that salvation which took place in conse- quence of his life, death, resurrection, and ascension at the right hand of the Father, being accepted in his obedience, as the first- born among many brethren, he received power and authority to administer the power of the resurrection and eternal judgment to all the children of men; so that he has become the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him; and as Christ has this power in himself, he did administer power and authori- ty to his church at the day of pentecost, as his body: with all the gifts that he had promised them, which was the first gift of the Holy Ghost, as an indwelling comforter to abide with them forever; and by which they were baptized into Chi-ist’s death; death to all sin; and were in the hope of the resur- rection from the dead, through the operation of the power of God, which wrought in them. And as they had received the substance of the promise of Christ come in the ﬂesh, by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, they had power to preach the gospel in Christ’s name to every creature, and to administer the power of God to as many as believed, and were obedient to the gospel which they preached, and also to remit and retain sin in the name and authority of Christ on earth. J. M. (To be Continued.) E‘ The January and February numbers of Tun SHAKER are unavoidably late, but will be on time in the future, with additional de- partments. EDITOR. THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITIQN OF RELIGION, ACCORDING TO smurnn THEOLOGY. FIFTY CENTS, P121: ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. Address, G. A. LOMAS, Resident Editor, Shakers, ALBANY, N. Y. MEMBERS OF SOCIETY ./Ippointed to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. Elder F. WV. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, Albany, L\'. Y. “ C. E. Sears, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. “ Simon Mabec, W'est Pittsiield, Mass. “ Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Conn., Shakers. . “ Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. “ \Vm. Leonard, Shakers. “ John W hitelcy, Shirley Village, Middlesex Co., Mass. “ Ncliexxiiaili Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. “ Henry Cunnuings, Enﬁeld, Grafton Co., N. H. “ John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. “ Alonzo Gihnau, W'est Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Me., Shakers. “ O. C. Hampton. Union Village, W'arren Co., 0., Shakers. “ Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. “ Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers, Ohio. “ George Runyon, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. “ J. R. Hades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. “ J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, ‘Shakers. Grafton Junction, Mass, PUBLICATIONS. Christ’s First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavyis Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church ' - - - - - - 1 O0 Compendium of Shakerism - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests - - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-spe-ts0101
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 02 (February 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-02-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “IWILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND run DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL TI-IIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITII run Lonn.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. VOL. '1. SHAKERS, ALBANY, N. Y., FEBRUARY, 1871. No. 2. Church and State-—No. 2. In our ﬁrst issue, we commenced a series of papers, being an inquiry into the foundational principles of the civil and religious governments of the United States, and of the United Societies. Ex- tremes meet. The extreme of skepticism towards theological and religious ideas, when interblended with statutory laws and civil institutions, ultimated itself in the United States Government. This has recently been demonstrated, and ably commented upon, by the “New York Tr2'bmze;” showing that the Senate pro- nounced it a. non-sectarian and unreligious government, as follows :— “ A Ray of Light from the Past." “The theologians who insist that our government rests upon an implied assump- tion or r...
Show more“IWILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND run DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL TI-IIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITII run Lonn.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. VOL. '1. SHAKERS, ALBANY, N. Y., FEBRUARY, 1871. No. 2. Church and State-—No. 2. In our ﬁrst issue, we commenced a series of papers, being an inquiry into the foundational principles of the civil and religious governments of the United States, and of the United Societies. Ex- tremes meet. The extreme of skepticism towards theological and religious ideas, when interblended with statutory laws and civil institutions, ultimated itself in the United States Government. This has recently been demonstrated, and ably commented upon, by the “New York Tr2'bmze;” showing that the Senate pro- nounced it a. non-sectarian and unreligious government, as follows :— “ A Ray of Light from the Past." “The theologians who insist that our government rests upon an implied assump- tion or recognition of the divine authority of the Christian religion, and who wish to make that recognition palpable, by an amendment of the Constitution, will ﬁnd a hard nut to crack in the following pro- vision in_the treaty of Tripoli, made under the administration of Washington, in 1796, when the fundamental principles of the government, and the ideas and purpo- ses of its founders were yet fresh in the minds of the people. “ ‘ As the government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity of Mussulman’s; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mohammedan nation; it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.’ “To this declaration, which bears the stamp of the Senate’s approval, is appended the name of George VVashington, who held, that his speculative faith entitled ‘him to no privileges, as a citizen, that were not common to all others, of what- . ever religious belief or unbelief. The Declaration, moreover, for aught that ap- pears, received the assent of the whole American people, as embodying an essen- tial and fundamental principle of the Government. “Let us not, in the very hour of our rejoicing over the downfall of the civil authority of the Church in the Roman States, countenance the attempt to remove the barriers erected by our fathers against a. union of Church and State in this Republic.” And this is a principle essential to its own self-preservation. The mental, intellectual, and spiritual freedom of the human mind in all its phases (when not incarnated in acts to the injury of the same rights in others), was what the revolutionary fathers fought for, and germinally embodied in the United States’ constitution. The opposite extremes of Spiritualists and religiously-exercised people, like the French Prophets, the hloravians, and Dunkers; together with New Lights, Breakers, and Quakers, feared God ex- ceedingly, and were mediums of inﬂuence from the spirit land. These Often spoke and acted as they were moved upon by the invisible souls of disembodied men and women seeking to work the work of God on earth. Out of these arose Mother Ann and her little company of devoted souls; and through their labors the elements became ultimated and organized in the religious Communism of the Shaker-s—the United Societies From the ﬁrst there was a deep sym- pathy between these apparently opposite extremes--the respective founders of two systems in nowise antagonistic,—which be- came incorporated in a purely civil and a purely religious government. They were nearer together, and more alike, than either of them understood. Both were inﬁdel to the popular orthodoxy of Christendom, as exhibited in the combined church and and state organizations of the civilized World. They disbelievcd alike, and both were terribly in earnest. VVhile the skeptical powers were plight- ing their lives and faith and sacred honor in ﬁghting the battles of humanity against momzrc/2y—the church and state union—— the divine right of kings—-with its concom- itants, the religious spiritualists were ﬁght- ing, in “battles of shaking ” (often to be heard a mile distant), the anti-Christian theology of a Trinity of masculine Gods; the vicarious atonement for sin through the material blood of Jesus; the resurrec- tion of physical bodies, ages after death; the eternally-lost condition of all souls, except a few nominal Christians; the blending together of generation and regen- eration, of war and peace, of selﬁshness and communion of saints. VVhile the Shakers deprecated persecu- tion for conscience’ sake, and only to be met with from the priesthood of anti- Christ, the skeptics sought, by a constitu- tional provision, to render it——-persecution ——legally z'7np0ss2'ble within the jurisdiction of the United States. Art. 1.—“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Art. 37, First Constitution of the State of New York.——“ And whereas we are re- quired, by the benevolent principles of 1‘ati0nzIl liberty, not only to expel civil tyranny, but also to guard against that spiritual oppression and intolerance where- with the bigotry and ambition of weak and wicked priests and princes have scourged mankind ; the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, with- out diserimination or preference, shall for- ever hereafter be allowed within this State to all mankind.” Art. 39.——“ And whereas the ministers of the gospel are, by their profession, ded- icated to the service of God and the cure of souls and ought not to be diverted from the great duties of their function ; there- fore, no minister of the gospel, or priest of any denomination whatsoever, shall, at any time hereafter, under any pretense or description whatever, be eligible to, or capable of, holding any civil or military olﬁce or place within this State.” These enactments plainly indicate the character and design of the men who framed them; and, as burnt childen dread the ﬁre, so did those skeptics go, even over the line of equal rights to discriminate against a class of men———Gospel ministers —who, of all others, ought logically, on the assumption that Christianity is par excellence the religion, to be the safest depositaries of civil power. 10 THE SHAKER. It is because worldly, Gentile Christi- anity includes elements that are not in and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that its ministers are thus disfranchised, in self- defence, by the sovereign people. I/Villiam Pitt, in an essay on supersti- tion speaks of a “ certain unnatural pas- sion which we will call 7'el2'g2'ous hat7'ed,— ﬁxed, constant, deep-rooted, and immortal. All other passions rise and fall, die and revive again; but this of religious hatred rises and grows, every day, stronger upon the mind as we grow more religious, be- cause we hate for God’s sake, and for the sake of those poor souls, too, who have the misfortune not to believe as we do: and can we, in so good a cause, hate too much? The more thoroughly we hate, the better we are ; and the more mischief we do to the bodies and estates of those inﬁdels and heretics, the more do we show our love to God. This is religious zeal; and this has been called Divinity. But remember, the only true Divinity is Hu- manity.”-—London Journal, 1733. Thomas Pa2'7ze’s “Age of Reason” opens thus :-—“ I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and in endeavoring to make our fellow creatures happy. The goorlcl is my country, to do good is my religion,” was this unbeliever’s motto. Thus was the American Government established, which was in no sense theolo- gical; but a purely civil government, belonging equally to all its citizens, what- ever their beliefs or unbeliefs, from the Atheist to the Quaker. frage for white men, and universal liberty for white people, was fully and amply secured. Thenceforth rulers were to be the people’s choice and the people’s serv- ants; and not, as heretofore the people’s And above all in value was the perpetual right of Constitutional amend- ment. Jefferson says : “ At our ﬁrst legislative session, after the Declaration of Indepen- dence we abolished the law of Entails and Primogeniture, and divided the lands of intestates equally among their heirs. These laws, drawn by myself, laid the axe to the root of pseudo-aristocracy.” He also proposed a system of free schools, which was too far a-head of the times to be adopted. And, on that account, many forms of evil were reserved to be purged away by succeeding generations, under the power of Constitutional amendments in the good time they saw coming. Promi- nent among these was slavery and its primal cause, land monopoly, or unlivnited landed possessions. Universal suf- masters. There was to be a new heaven, or Church, and a new earth, or civil Govern- ment, wherein should dwell righteousness. \Ve have seen the foundations of both of these laid in the Revolutionary times, and by men and women whose minds were adapted to the work. The removal of the great curse of slavery, so adverse to the genius of the government and to the prin- ciples and desires of its real founders, could be accomplished only by a similar class of minds raised up and inspired by those original governmental founders in the spiritual world. the second of the seven degrees in the onward progress of our Government to- And thus was opened wards a condition of rational and perfect national righteousness. And as Lincoln was the central personage in the great national tragedy which ensued, we will introduce him on the stage and see what is the evidence, and what are the facts. W. H. Herndon says: “One or two preliminary remarks will help us to under- stand why he (Lincoln) disagreed with the Christian world, in its principles as well as in its theology. In the ﬁrst place, Mr. Lincoln’s was a purely logical mind; and, secondly, Mr. Lincoln was purely a practi- cal man. He had no fancy or imagination, and not much emotion. He was a realist, as opposed to an idealist. As a general rule, it is true, that a purely logical mind has not much hope, if it ever has faith, in the zmseen and unlmown. He was terribly, vexatiously, skeptical. “ I became acquainted with Mr. Lincoln in 1834, and I think I knew him to the day of his death. He came to Illinois in 1830, and settled in New Salem, Ill. It was here that Mr. Lincoln became ae- quainted with a class of men the world never saw the like of before or since. They were large men; large in body, and large in mind; hard to whip, and never to be fooled. They were a bold, daring, and reckless set of men. They were men of their own minds—believed what was de- monstrable; were men of great common sense. ‘ “With these men Mr. Lincoln was thrown; with them he lived, and with them he moved and almost had his being. They were skeptics, all——sco'lfers, some. These scolfers were good men; and their scoffs were protests against theolog-y,— loud protests against the follies of Christi- anity. They had never heard of Theism, or the better religious thoughts of this age. They riddled all divines; and not unfrequently made them skeptics——disbe- lievers like themselves. They were a jovial, healthful, generous, social, true, and manly set of people. “In 1835, he wrote a small work on Inﬁdelity and intended to have it pub- lished. The book was an attack upon the Whole grounds of Christianity; and especi- ally was it an attack upon the idea that Jesus was the Christ, the true and only- begotten Son of God, as the Christian world contends. “His friend Hill, who had an eye to Lincoln’s popularity, who saw in him a rising man, and wished him success, and believing that, if the book were published, it would kill Lincoln for ever, snatched it from his hand and put it into a hot stove. “ \Vhen accused of being an inﬁdel, by his political enemies, during a canvass, he never denied the charge,—-—‘would die ﬁrst.’ H “Lincoln did not believe in a special creation; his idea being, that all creation was an evolution under law. He did not believe that the Bible was a special reve- lation from God : did not believe in mira- cles, understood by the Christian world. He believed in universal inspiration and miracles, under law. He believed that all things—both matter and mind——-were gov- erned by law, universal, absolute and eter- nal. Law, to Lincoln, was everything. Yet he, like Paine, believed in God and in immortality.’’—Index. ‘ “ I maintain that Lincoln was a deeply religious man, at all times, and in all places, in spite of his transient doubts, although not a Christian.”—Imle2:. I have reason to know, that Lincoln did not believe largely in God; and that, be- fore his death he became a Spiritualist, and was, like his bosom friend, Stanton, a warm sympathizer with the rational and simple faith of the Shakers. He acted well his part before he left the stage of action. That accounts for the Shakers not being “ wiped out ” during the late war. Inasmuch as Ann Lee and her compan- ions came by revelation to America, hav- ing been spiritually informed and fully assured that the revolution would be suc- cessful, and that a Gentile Pentecostal lhurch would be established upon earth, which, like the Jewish Pentecostal Church, would abjure physical sexuality, selﬁsh rights of property, destructive carnal war- fare, wasteful pride, and foolish pomp in dress and equipage, or in vain surround- ings in natural things; and would build up community homes on the basis of per- sonal purity of ﬂesh and spirit, and holi- ness——the perfecting of the individual character. Disconnected by a discrete degree from the civil government, it is the Church in its true character and order, destined to shine and operate upon the civil govern- ment, as the sun upon the moon and earth ———the primal source of all vitality and virility, and the Ruler of day and night. ~< THE SHAKER. 11 “ The law of righteousness shall go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem ”-—-the civil government-which will continue to progress until it shall be the means of securing all the “ inalienable rights” to both man and woman, and the necessaries and comforts of life to all the people, each one “sitting under his own vine and ﬁg-tree, with none,” moved by spirit of war, “ to make them afraid.” For Wars shall cease to the ends of the earth, T in all nations that will accept the reign and rule of the “ Prince of Peace!” Re- organization without Disintegration ! ” F. W. E. BIOGRAPHICAL. Ann Lee. (Continued. ) For the greater part of nine years did Ann Lee suffer thus—the severest mental agony- though she experienced seasons of relief, dur- ing Which she was instructed by heavenly visions and divine revelations why God was thus dealing with her; and with this under- standing she bore with fortitude the agonies of preparation, that were ﬁtting her as a recep- tacle and medium for the Christ Spirit. The revelations made known to her, were the necessity of self—abasement, sorrow for, and departure from sin——the antipodes of that in- struction that provides another to die a physi- cal death, to atone for the millions that con- tinue in and unto sin. , Ann realized the full loss suffered by human- ity, but was not yet aware of what the found- ation of sin consisted; nor could she yet see any prospect of relief in the preaching or prac- tices of theological teachers, for the salvation of souls from sin’here, or for their redemption hereafter. She agonized to know the cause of human woes, and of their reparation. While lying in the Manchester jail, incarcer- ated for preaching against “ those ﬂeshly lusts that war against the soul,” “ the mystery of iniquity,” as made known to her by directing agencies, she saw, and experienced the man- ifestation of the baptism of the Christ Spirit- the same that made Jesus, the Christ ; and the same that will make every man and woman Christ, when prepared; and the manifesta- tions of this‘ Christ through her, taught many strange things—of the new heavens and earth ; of the true Resurrection, con- sisting of living above the life of generative lusts; of virgin purity being a component of eternal life, and the impossibility of enjoying the life of the Spirit while engaging in the pleasures of the ﬂesh ! Her testimonies against nature corrupt were the intonations of her directing spirit—agencies, and often brought the deepest embarrassments upon her in their delivery; for she was human, and knew how keenly these testimonies set; but her Christ—duty was superior to human frailties, and she delivered herself “ as one having a.uthority.”* After her imprisonment in Manchester, she was acknowledged as a leader in spiritual things, and was ever after known as Mother Ann. The religious exer- cises of her band were singing and dancing, shaking and shouting, speaking in strange tongues, and prophesying after the manner of the Primitive Christian Church. From this time, Mother Ann testiﬁed by the Christ Spirit, against all lustful gratiﬁca- tions as the source and foundation of all human misery; that no soul could live in the generative sphere, and practice the regenera- tion of Christ simultaneously; that nature- corrupt was not only unﬁt for earthly re- plenishment, but that reproduction, in its most pure, elevated condition, was positively unchristian and uneternal! She delivered her testimony in the spirit of love, but with such heart-searching power, that many stood convicted of the truth, and acknowledged her gospel as correct. In some, the home-thrust truths kindled the most bitter spirit of perse- cution, particularly among the professors of theology, in whomithe lusts of the world, and the religion that sanctioned, and wedded lusts to lusts, were combined. Of her experiences with some of these persecutors, we purpose treating upon in our next, just a century after their occurrence. * *‘ A woman, of Cleveland, Ohio, occupying an ele- vated position in society, while under the inﬂuence of the Spirit, declared that “we married Women, living in the gratiﬂcations of the ﬂesh with our hus- bands, are nothing but legalized prostitutes ;” and when learning what she had said, nearly crazed with mortiﬂcation, even after realizing the truth of her Words. Items. Behold the latter day appears, And things mysterious greet our ears, Which seems to make this wise demand, “ Let him that readeth, understand.” It has been asserted that the Shaker males hate the females, and vice versa. This is not true; we love each other better than we can express. * It has been said, “ The Shakers are the followers of an ‘old woman!”’ This is not true in any wise: If “ old woman ” is intended to signify Ann Lee’s age, it is false, as she never lived to be aged. As Ann Lee made it the Work of her life to crucify the old Woman and her deeds of depravity, the Shakers can more consistently be called the followers of the new man (Jesus), and the new woman (Ann). "“ RIGHT AND Wn0NG.—“If you don’t go to school, my son, who will teach you what is right or wrong P” “ I don’t get teacht, I ﬁnd it out.” “ And how do you ﬁnd it out ?” “ By observ- ing that right works for a shilling an hour, While wrong lives on it !” All persons able to walk should exercise daily in the open air. “ Be careful lest a too warm desire for dis- tinction should deceive you into pursuits that may cover you with shame, by setting your incapacity and slender abilities in full 1ight.” POETICAL. Spirit Examination. What is in thy heart for God ? Search its depths, and see If thou hast a place for Him, Kept in purity. ’Mid the treasures of thy life-—- Treasurcs without strife- Ilast thou ever for the Lord, A willing sacriﬁce? VVhat is in thy heart for God ? Are thyjoys of earth? Or hast thou deep happiness Of enduring worth ? And art thou a fruitful branch-— Of the living tree, clothed with innocence, with peace - And true humility ? What is in thy heart for God ? Do thy hopes ascend Unto truth, and holiness That shall never end ? Is thy love a living fount, Gushing, bright and clear ? Doth the image of the Lord Within its source appear ? All I have I give to God, And his blessed cause ; Praying, that my life may be Guided by his laws. Lead me, holy spirit, down, 7Till I see my loss. Strengthen me, to do the work That comcth by the cross. 0. 1)., Mr. L.', N. Y. During the month of January, 1871, the angels said “ Come!” to two interesting young sisters——Mariet.ta Moore and Mary J. Mafﬁt, of Mt. Lebanon, N. Y. Among the treasures of the latter was found the following tribute from one of her companions-—Charlotte—whose affec- tion we here make public, without her knowl- .edge: Together we began to tread The consecrated ground; Together entered here, the home, Where grace and truth abound. Together we have sought for faith, Conviction, power, and light ; Together asked for angel’s strength, To guide us in the right. Together we have toiled, to earn The love that is so pure, Which clothes the soul with patience true All sorrows to endure. But now doth sickness intervene, To part us for a time ; Still we will struggle to possess The angel-life, divine. True love and friendship shall not cease For you, my sister dear; Though you may enter into realms, Beyond this mortal sphere—- VVe still will seek, as one in Christ, For purity and grace; For light and truth, our souls to guide- Our errors to erase. And I Will pray, and you will pray, That we may brighter grow ; And, while you toil in yonder home, I’ll toil in mine below. Now, dear companion, take my love ; P11 help to bear you through ; And spirit friends will bear you hence, To scenes of fairer view. “ A great mind is above doing an unjust act; above giving away to buﬁbonery; above giving away to grief; and it would be invulnerable if compassion did not prey upon its sensibility.” 153 THE SHAKER. Christian Distinction-—No. 1. “Brethren, be joint imitators of me, and observe those who conduct themselves as ye have us for an example; for many so conduct, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even with tears, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ ; whose end is destruc- tion, whose God is sensuality, whose glory is in their shame, and whose mind is devoted to ca‘-rthly things. For our citizenship is in the heavens, from which we also are expecting the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall transform the body of our humiliation, so as to be conformable to the body of his glory, according to the energy by which he can sub- ject all things to himself.” Phil. iii. 17-21. (Original.) These words of the apostle inform us, that connected with the Church of Christ in his day, were many whose lives were not in accordance with the profession they made, and he considered it necessary to caution those to whom he wrote, against their pernicious ex- ample. They were mere sensualists, devoted to the pleasures of the appetites and the passions, and their thoughts engrossed with earthly things. In opposition to such, the apostle exhorted the Philippians to be imita- tors as one body of him and of those who lived like him. “For,” said he, “our citizenship or community is in the heavens, or heavenly World, from which we are looking for the Saviour who shall transform us—the body of Christ, the Church of the faithful, who are now bearing the cross and enduring the vari- ous alflictions in_cident to this state of humilia- tion——so completely in spirit and in character, that we shall be ﬁtted for intimate and per- sonal association with those who constitute the church in glory, with whom our names are already enrolled.” This, then, is the essential distinction be- tween the genuine followers of Christ, and those who merely adhere to his church with- out possessing its real life; the former, instead of hating the ross of Christ, cherish it as the means by which they retain an intimate rela- tion to the body of Christ, so that his very life and spirit circulate through them as the life of the tree circulates through every branch; the latter are hostile to this cross, because it interferes with their sensual enjoy- ments; its design being as the word implies, to crucify their sensuality, to destroy their very life; not indeed for any real harm to the person, but that the life of Christ, which is the essential life of heaven, and is the opposite of all sensuality, may be substituted for that. They are enemies of the cross, because they I are idolaters ; and like almost all idolaters, their god is self. Self they worship daily with as much ﬁdelity, as the most zealous devotee who burns incense to his idol ! The class of persons to whom the apostle alludes, may not have been addicted to all kinds of sensuality, yet it is evident they must have been to some of its worst forms, for “their glory was in their shame.” They had commenced to follow Christ, per- haps had run well for a season, but from some cause had ceased to bear the cross which was severe against their sensual inclinations, and! preferred to be borne down on the current of pleasure, rather than to stem it, so that they became, ﬁnally, the enemies of that which The end of this, as the apostle saw, would be their ruin, hence his tears on their account. was intended for their salvation. The forms of sensualism are various, and are vastly different in degree, according to the length of time and intensity with which one gives himself to them. Is it the mere fact of deriving enjoyment through the senses? That certainly cannot be, for such is the very constitution of man, that the legitimate exer- cise of the senses is invariably attended with pleasure, and pain is the result of their per- verted action. To the eye that dwells upon the various objects of external nature, the mountain and the valley ; the ocean, the lake and the river ; the forest clad in its summer dress ; the prairie with its vast variety of flow- ers; the cultivated ﬁeld with its accompani- ment of ﬂocks, herds and dwellings, are a source of exhaustless charm. These enjoy- ments are in themselves pure as the breath of heaven. So the ear is delighted with sweet sounds that greet it from every side, and the taste with agreeable ﬂavors 3 and God intended these should be. But the eye may look upon forbidden objects; the ear may listen to sounds that pervert the passions; the taste may be intoxicated with the excess of delights; and their entire action may become perverted, in- stead of being normal, or in accordance with the highest physical, mental and moral welfare of the individual. When this is the case the life of the person is mere sensualism. The legitimate exercise of the senses tends to give a healthy tone to the body, sound action to the mental faculties, and a harmonious growth and development to the moral powers; but their perverse action tends to the very reverse of this. In the body, disease is engendered; the mental faculties are confused, and conse- quently irregular and uncertain in their action ; and the moral powers exhibit an insane con- dition, just in proportion as the senses have become perverted by abuse. W'ith reason, then, may it be said, the end of the sensualist is destruction. Sensualism is a mighty tor- rent—-—a ﬂood that sweeps all before it that is really valuable to man. N o matter what may be his natural endowments. But what is sensualism? He may have a physical form that rivals in beauty and majesty that of Apollo; his intellectual endowments may be of the first order; he may have the ability to move multitudes by his eloquence, and inﬂuence to action the minds of thousands by the splendor of his diction, and the moral beauty of his thoughts. There have been very many such. In the beginning of their career, they gave promise of a brilliant course through life, and a glorious termination. But oh, the disappointment of cherished hopes, and the despair of trusting hearts! The Apostle Paul is not the only one who has had to weep over the fall of those who had seemingly entered upon a course of usefulness and happiness, and promised so much to the cause of virtue. Thousands of others have wept for a similar cause. Many of the bright- est intellects have been completely obscured, by drinking of the cup of sensual pleasure; at first, sparingly, but afterwards with the deep- est draughts. Men, eminent in political life, and capable of directing the affairs of nations; men ﬁlling the desk of the religious teacher, endowed with the rarest gifts of persuasion; men in every condition of life, those occupying the highest places of trust, as well as those pursuing its more common courses——have been swept into the vortex of ruin. Men, too, of every age; those of mature years and large experience, and the youth animated with the freshness and vigor of life’s spring-time and the expectation of great enjoyments in the future. I am forcibly reminded of the history of one, who had before him a. most hopeful future, and brilliant career; a member of one of our New England colleges. As a scholar, he stood high in the estimation of his instruct- ors, and easily surpassed in scholarship and general talent, all his competitors in the race for distinction. But he had tasted of the inebriating cup, and gradually the sensual gained the ascendancy over the mental. The force of talent enabled him to ﬁll the first place of honor at the ﬁnishing up of his academical course, in spite even, of the be- witching and bewildering power of the wine cup; but after that, he went down, down, down,——- “ his end was destruction.” VVould that his were a solitary case among the young! but it is not so. The god of sen- suality, whom many of them serve, rules them with a terrible power. It may be at first, they do not despise the cross of Christ—thcir heart and conscience may approve of it, though their lives are in contradiction to it. They respect virtue, and admit its inestimable value; but the seductive power of appetite prevails over their regard for the virtuous, and honor, truth and conscience are Wrecked one by one. “ Their end is destruction.” 0 how many of the young are drawn by the enticing charm of sensuality into the vortex of rum! though they never suspected it was taking them thither, nor intended that it should. It presents itself to them, under various dis- guises, so that they seem not aware of its true character. Now, it is the nerve-exciting and brain-bewildering drink; and now, it is the excitement of the licentious passion. But it always leads its victims downward to the pit of darkness and death. And what a destruc- tion is theirs ! What ruin of high hopes and glorious promises! what worse than mere waste, what consumption of the physical pow- ers, what desolation of heart and brain, are often beheld while yet life remains to the wretched ones! \Vha.t dreadful wreck of in- tellectual faculties, which were designed for the happiness and glory of the individual, and to contribute to the well- being of others! What wide—spread desolation among the moral powers, that should have allied him so closely to all that is holy ! deed, that those capable of attaining to so much that is pure and elevating in every pos- Is it not destruction in- sible sense, should have rendered themselves incapable of it, and have become only tit for the opposite? How delightful to the pure TI-IE SHAKER . I 13 heart and sound mind,'is the thought of a Supreme Intelligence, possessed of every pos- sible perfection; of the pure occupants of a world of beauty and grandeur, living together in love, peace and perpetual harmony—but characters directly the opposite of these, how dreadful to contemplate ! Yet of the latter, there are multitudes even, upon the earth, who have been led to their deplorable condition through their indulgence in a sensual life. This is a world clothed in beauty for man’s sake; and had he lived, and did he still live in accordance with the highest laws of his being, it would be a world of per- petual charm to all, instead of being, as it frequently is to many, a prison, a dungeon, a pest house, physically and morally. The con- victions of our reason conﬁrm the opinion that this would be a world of happiness to us all, even though trials and sorrows might be necessary for our perfection, if we were all ‘ careful to maintain the eternal laws of recti- tude. But now the wail of woe and despair ascends from many a heart that ﬁnds no rest. “ Their tears are their meat, day and night ”— tears of anguish forced from them, because of violated law; and not those of gratitude for blessings daily received and enjoyed, nor those of satisfaction in the way of self—denial, or in the daily discharge of duties that are always attended with pleasure, however exacting of patience and perseverance, and the exercise of every faculty. These faculties lie in ruin; and in the abyss of misery where they are, they bewail their neglect of reproof, from friends and their own conscience. They “have Wor- shipped the beast,” sensuality. Instead of enduring the cross of Christ, and despising the shame,_they have despised the cross, and are now enduring the shame and wretchednoss resulting from perverting the Ways of life. VV. H. B. JUVENILE DEPARTMENT. A Dialogue. Written for, and rehearsed at an Annual Social Gathering, in Canaan Pine Grove, N. Y., by Ann, Martha, Mary J., Charlotte, Me- lissa, Margaret, Sarah and Catharine. (Continued M.—In connection with our subject there are three words I would like to ask the meaning of; they are Agriculture, Horticulture and Aboriculture. Mar.—I should think you would know the meaning of Agriculture, as we have dwelt on that subject some time. M .———I want to know the direct signiﬁcance of the term in connection with the others. Mar.—Agriculture is the broad term for the cultivation of the farm. It is the art of tilling and manuring the ground; and consisting in sowing, mowing, reaping, &c., also the man- agement of different soils, and the cultivation of forest timber. It is said that the highest encomium that could be given to a man of Rome, was, that he cultivated his own spot of ground well! The most illustrious among them applied themselves to it, and their dicta- tors were taken from the plow. C.—Horticulture is simply the art of culti- vating gardens. Mary—Aboriculture is the art of cultivating trees and shrubs. S.—As you have introduced the subject of Aboriculture, _I would be pleased to know something in reference to trees; I could scarcely tell the names of those under whose broad canopy we are now so nicely sheltered (looking up), but, I believe I do know the beautiful maple, the stately pine, and a few others. A.—It is necessary, not only to know trees by their leaves, but by the formation of their bark, their texture, grain of their wood and their uses. - Char.—-I think that Sarah will have to ap- ply to Mary for information, as she, unlike her companions, always lived on woodland, where she undoubtedly acquired a. knowledge of trees which we have not. Mary.-—’Tis true, that, Away from artiﬁcial life- Far from the city’s rlin and strife, I had a. home ‘mid forests grand, The bcauteous works ofnature‘s hand; There ’neath the leafy bower I often strayed, And some acquaintance with the trees have made. Nor is my home less beautiful new, although more in the region of cultivation ; and I pur- posely selected some leaves, which I will pre- sent to see if any or all could tell the names of the trees from which they were gathered. (They are passed around, the names are all told). S.—-I do not know all of them, but recog- nize the leaves of the fruit trees. M .—I know more of the leaves, than I should of the wood, if you had brought speci- mens. v Mary.—VVe will no doubt feel an increasing interest in the study of aboriculture, and may pursue it to some extent, in examining trees and shrubs. A.~Very litt‘e I know on the subject, but an interest is being awakened in my mind, especially as our home is becoming more and more beautiﬁed, by the increase of forest and shade trees, which have been set out within a few years. Our Union Grove seems to be an object of admiration. so rapid is its growth under the care and culture of its guardian. Martha.—-It might properly be called an Arboretum; but we prefer calling it by the simple name of Union Grove. I have been located on the east side of the dwelling ever since the ﬁrst saplings were set out (bean poles we called them), so meagre was their appearance, and even thought it would be a good plan to set some scarlet runners around them to relieve the monotony of the scene, and then it would be a point of economy in saving the gardener’s labor ; at the same time using the soil, for we were certain that the trees would never come to anything! But good Elder Frederick Evans never entertained such an idea; he set them out to grow, and grow they did, luxuriantly! Bathed in the morn- ing sunlight, watered by frequent showers, and under careful cultivation, they have at- tained a su1'prising growth, being interspersed with a variety of fruit and forest trees equally thrifty. I almost imagine, sometimes, that a miniature Eden is before me. Contemplating the scene one beautiful Sabbath morning, I penned the following lines, which (if you would like to hear them) I will ask Margaret to read. All.-—(We would.) Mar.—I can repeat them- (She repeats)—“I have watched, with in- terest, the growth of yonder tree, since ﬁrst transplanted, a sapling, from its native forest. It was set with care in its new abode; down in the soil its ﬁbrous roots struck deeply, and coursed their way around the crevices of rocks and through the fallow ground. Nurtured by frequent showers, the broad, free sunlight and a healthy atmosphere, its branches spread with rapid growth, and each successive year in- creased to profusion the richest foliage. Oft has the pruning knife, in the hands of the care- ful cultivator, lopped the surplus twigs, that it might attain symmetry of form and strength of limb. Now, how beautiful t behold! supple in every part, yielding to the gentle zephyrs, each leaf with graceful motion moves; or ’neath the power of_ the mighty wind, its strongest branches bow submissively. Amid its leafy bowers the songsters of the woods carol their sweetest notes, to cheer the heart and gladden the pathway of life. 0 home of mine! how many joys surround thee. I thank God that my soul has been transplanted from without the wilderness of nature into'thy blessed soil, and, as the material elements cause the growth and development of the natural plant, 50 may the rains of heaven, the sunlight of truth, and the spiritual atmosphere of purity and love, cause my soul to grow and expand in the divine life.” Char.—You have portrayed the beauties of the hillside vividly. Its infancy contrasts strangely with that grand old forest above it; I know it presents a most, enchanting, lovely sight. But, Martha, I am astonished——I thought your ideas were more general; but, from your remarks, I conclude that you have conﬁned your observation to one tree only. I should be glad to see the tree that has called forth such rich effusions as We have been favored to hear.” Mar.—I should, too. I have never been able to ascertain which one it was. i\Iartha.——That was but expressive of the whole scene, and I have gathered leaves of the various trees composing the grove—ﬁfty vari- eties—and have learned most of their names; these I have brought for our pleasure and in- struction. (A folio is now exhibited with leaves ar- ranged in order, and names attached. They are examined by the company with remarks on their beauty, the ﬁneness of their texture, the variety of forms, shades of color, &»c. ; they then are set aside for future examination.) 3% THE SHAKER is otrered to Subscribers at cost price, and only needs to be read to be appreciated. 14: THE SHAKER. MISCELLANEOUS. Shaker Sermon—No. 1. BY H. L. EADES, SOUTH UNION, KENTUCKY. I begin my discourse to-day with the enun- ciation of two or three aphorisms ; neither of which, I presume, any honest, unbiased mind of ordinary comprehension will have an incli- nation to gainsay; they consist of a simple declaration of the harmony of truth. 1st. All truths harmonize, spiritual and natural; one truth cannot be opposed to another truth; hence, any two statements or propositions that antagonize or conﬂict, one or the other, or both must be false. 2d. In the end, nothing but truth will have been or can be advantageous to any soul; hence, it would be wisdom in us to cast off all prejudice and prepossession, and make any required sacriﬁce to obtain the “ knowledge of the truth,” especially that sacred truth by which we expect to obtain our redemption and the salvation of the soul. It is necessary that some of our discourses should be mainly argumentative or theological, from the fact, that more declaration of truth, scriptural or otherwise, does not in this day seem to satisfy the inquisitive mind, and people must learn to think correctly before they can either speak or act correctly. Well nigh two centuries ago a certain phi- losopher penned the following: 1st. That a man use no words but such as he makes the sign of a certain determined object in his mind in thinking, which he can make known to another. 2d. That he use the same word steadily for the sign of the same immediate object of his mind in thinking. 3d. That he join those words together in propositions, according to the grammatical rules of the language he speaks in. 4th. That he unites those sentences into a coherent discourse. Thus, and thus only, I humbly conceive, any one may preserve him- self from the confines and suspicions of jar- gon. VVere all men to observe this rule, which I most sincerely approve, there would be but little difference among men on any subject; with their terms clearly deﬁned, strictly ap- plied and adhered to, no two really honest men can very widely differ ; each would yield in turn in theology and ethics, just as they are compelled to do in mathematics. Every rational creature will admit that the salvation of the soul is, or should be, para- mount to every earthly consideration what- ever, and he who fails in the attainment of this, fails in all, and he who is fortunate enough to secure this, lacks in nothing that is Worth contending for: “ For what is a man proﬁted if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?” Matt. xvi: 26. Since, then, from these words of our Saviour, a man’s soul is of more value to him than all worlds beside, he ought to be willing to for- -sake the world, with all its habits, customs, maxims, and practices, for his soul’s sake. It appears that this globe now contains over 1,000,000,000 souls, and there are 1,100 dif- ferent religions; one creed, if I may so speak, for every hundred millions, differing from all the rest ; and, as there cannot be but one right way, a hollow cry comes up from the “ vasty deep,” asking which one of the 1,100 is right; because any line diverging in the minutest degree from the right one must be wrong, and the further it is traveled the more distant the traveler will be from the right way. Hence it becomes a matter of the utmost importance for each one to know he is right—-not to guess at it, but KNOW it. You will ask me, then, if there is any possibility of acquiring this knowledge. To which I give an affirmative answer. In the words of the Saviour, as to doctrine, he says : “ My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine wheth- er it be of God,” &c. Matt. iii: 8. Not guess at it, but know. As to his true disciples and followers, he has given us one criterion or mark—and one onl’y—-by which they are to be known-—“ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or ﬁgs of thistles ?” But after all this, and without troubling yourselves to look into the different sects for the good fruits, which are the only real evidence, you rest in your easy chair, simply saying you know, The Good must merit God’s peculiar care, Yet who but God can tell us which they are ? thus giving evidence of one of two conditions, viz: Your own lukewarmness and lack of interest in your soul’s salvation, or your inﬁ- delity respecting the existence of any religious body where those fruits can be found; and some of you, when you have found the fruits and acknowledge them, then fault the doctrine —at the same time acknowledge you do not keep the commandments of God; and it is only such that should know of the doctrines or should presume to judge them. Nearly all men agree that among the thou- sand different forms of religious belief, some one must be right, and as before said, the con- sequence is, that every other one that essen- tially differs, must be wrong, and inadequate to the purposes of salvation. Every religious system has for its foundation or formation, some reference to a Supreme Being or Beings, who is, or are, able to reward them for well doing, and punish them for evil doing; and as this seems to be the beginning of religion it- self, I propose to offer a few remarks on this subject. I shall try to remember what I said in the beginning, respecting the necessity of having distinct ideas in the mind, deﬁning terms, &c., for I by no means wish to leave the thoughtful part of the audience, especially, in the dark respecting my own position. Leav- ing, for the present, all others aside, I bring myself to the ground called Christian, whose religious systems have taken form from this book-—the old and new Testaments, and so multiplied are the forms derived from the same reading, that it seems almost to justify the re- mark, that Faith, gospel. all seemed made to be disputed, And none had sense enough to be confuted. I am not so uncharitable as to conclude that this state of things has arisen entirely from the dishonesty of the race, but rather more from education, prepossession, and a want of distinct ideas, clear deﬁnition of terms, and their consistent application. Every critical Bible student cannot fail to have taken cognizance of this truth: that throughout sacred writ, God is spoken of in two senses, the inﬁnite and the ﬁnite, or sub- ordinate sense. Thus, whenever God is spoken of as coming, going, traveling personally from one place to another, it then must be under- stood in the ﬁnite or subordinate sense; be- cause in this sense he is considered as being less than something else. If he travel, there must be some place where he is not, to which he is going; hence, he must be circumscribed. We cannot help associating with such being, the idea of extension, ﬁgure, size, &c.—such as angel or man. Also, when God is repre- sented as having forgotten something, not knowing, or changing his mind or purpose, it is understood as speaking of God subordinate, . not inﬁnite. Of the Infinite, or Supreme Be- ing, it is truly said, “His purposes alter not —-HE is without change or shadow of turning.” The same holy writ makes the distinction clear by the saying of Christ, when accused by the Jews of making himself God. He showed them that they were “ called gods unto whom the word of God came.” Moses was God to the children of Israel in this subordi- nate sense: “And the Lord said unto Moses, see, I have made thee a God to Pharaoh ; and Aaron, thy brother, shall be thy prophet,” &c. Exodus vii: 1. Joshua was called J ehovah—- Elijah, God the Lord, &c. To the careful reader, the distinction is clear. But God, when spoken of as “ the All and in all,” “ in whom we live and move and have our being,” He is then understood as the “ Eternal Uni- ty,” the “ Inﬁnite Jehovah,” and he it is whom we have assembled here to—day to wor- ship, and Him only. Almost without excep- tion, every intelligent, unbiased mind with whom I have come in contact, acknowledges that God, in the supreme sense, is Inﬁnite Spirit——indivisible, immutable, uncaused, self- existent, omniscient, and omnipresent-ﬁlling immensity-—the creator and arbiter of the uni- verse, permeating all worlds and all existences at all times, which removes the necessity of his going and coming. But, strange as it must appear, many good-meaning persons, after this admission, stultify themselves by admitting a plurality of supremes or divisibility in the Sn- preme, to favor some theological dogma or scheme of redemption they have ﬁxed in their own minds, or others have ﬁxed for them. The merest tyro, having taken but his first lesson in inductive philosophy, cannot help realizing the fact that an inﬁnite existence is indivisible. Truth never conﬂicts. The term inﬁnite sig- niﬁes without bounds. This seems to be either forgotten or ignored. We say of space that it is inﬁnite, but draw a line through it; we then have two ﬁnite spaces, when inﬁnite space disappears. I know it may be argued that a line beginning at a given point and extending in any direction without end, may‘ be called an inﬁnite line, and that this idea might, by parity of reason, be applied to dividing space; THE SHAKER. and even should this be conceded as sound reasoning, which I deny, the same cannot be applied to an inﬁnite being or existence. Thus, I think it clearly demonstrates that such a thing as an inﬁnite plurality, or plurality of inﬁnites, is impossible. I am aware that we are believed to hold to the dogma of duality in in deity, male and female (3) I will try to clear this point. It is admitted by us all that the attributes ascribed to Deity, some are considered masculine, some feminine; and hence comes the idea of father and mother of the universe. VVe admit the revelation of these attributes of the Eternal Unity by son and daughter; that is to say, God as Father, or the fatherly character of God was revealed by the Son, Christ Jesus, and God as.molher, or the motherly character of God was revealed by the daughter (ﬂnn Lee). Thus, “ God manifest in the ﬂesh; ” not of man only, but also of woman, male and female, constitute the duality of God, and dual only in this subor- dinate sense. Being equally manifest in and through ﬁnite human beings, who are dual, male and female. Thus the apparently con- ﬂicting ideas of unity and duality are recon- ciled. In this I can perceive nothing irrational, nothing but what any dispassionate, reason- able mind would readily admit. I Will, how- ever, very frankly admit, that for any man to declare that God in the highest sense was the Eternal Unity, and afterwards declare that He was the Eternal Duality, or Eternal Trinity (Eternal Three), that such man would stultify himself because either of the latter would precisely negative the former, and we should not know at last what man did believe. These two ideas of unity and plurality in the supreme and inﬁnite sense, would constitute a formi- dable and an irreconcilable feature in the the- ology of any man or sect. I fully concur in the remarks of John Locke on this subject. “ Every deity that men own above one is an infallible evidence of their ignorance of him, and a proof that they have no true notion of God (in the highest sense) where unity, inﬁni- ity, and eternity are excluded.” But if, as Christ says, “they were called gods, unto whom the word of God came, that the scrip- tures might not be broken,” I have no (liﬂicul- ty in applying this high term in the subordi- nate sense to the -Son of God. Nor would I exclude Jeremiah from among the number of the “ prophets of the Lord,” for applying the same high title to the daughter. “ This is the name whereby she shall be called. The Lord our righteousness.” Jer. xxxiii: 16. Perhaps I have drawn too largely on your patience, but I Wished to make a fair begin- ning, to leave no one in the dark, to carp at our doctrines without understanding them. We claim that the son and daughter already named now-stand at the head of the new crea- tion of God, and we, their children, in the “unity of the spirit and bond of peace,” are striving to follow their example, by obeying their teaching and walking as they walked, and by so doing have found that peace which this world can neither give nor take away; and may become “ heirs and joint heirs with Christ,” who has said: “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world ;” the “ prince of this world cometh a d hath nothing in me; ” “and to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, as I also overcome, and am sit down with my Father in his throne.” Rev. iii: 21. These are the great and glorious promises to all who will take up a daily cross and follow Christ in the regene- ration: not generation, but regeneration; not to those who have a blind faith in his atoning blood and still lead a worldly life, but it is to those who “ walked even as he walked,” and have followed him in the regeneration. And the invitation is now extended to every sin- sick soul; to every one who “panteth after righteousness as the hart for the waterbrook ” we say come, “ without money or without price,” and “partake of the waters of life freely,” for now has come salvation, and the kingdom of our God and the power of Christ. “ If All Should be Shakers.” Are the Shakers running the world out? The assertion has been made so frequently, that it is a matter of moment to know of its truth. Regardless of the number of population, the Shakers have maintained their testimony of celibacy, since the days of their founder—Ann Lee; with a knowledge, that to “ come down from this cross, might cause all men to believe on them,” yet with the certain presentation, that to do so, would pull from under the Christian character, its prime virtue—its foundation. lVe are aware that it is the duty of the followers of the ﬁrst Adam to replenish the earth; in the fullest meaning of that word—-to give glory unto God in the per- fect fruits of their bodies. VVe are as fully aware that duty calls on the disciples of the second Adam-—“ The Lord from heaven, a quickening spirit,” to rise up from the earthly plane of physical pro- duction and reproduction, and cultivate a life that has an eternal character. Re- production is an earthly practice and duty; to those who choose to remain on this low plane, they are welcome to all the pleasure it affords them————the pleasure is earthly, transient, not heavenly, eternal. Connected with the duty of earthly beings, “to replenish and subdue the earth,” is the requirement that their reproductions shall be an honor to the father and the mother engaged in this earthly avoca- tion; to be such, it is necessary that pa- rents present to the earth only “sound minds in healthy bodies;” every child born and to be born, has this right of demand upon its progenitors. Is this demand complied with generally or par- ticularly? lVe say not; and if we are right in so judging, the present repro- ductions of humanity do not replenish the earth, but tend to deteriorate the race- “run the world out!” But were we all 15 able to produce, through our generations, perfect specimens of humanity, this would be no argument that we should engage in it as long and as fully as our ability would permit. The child of nature ceases after a time to be a child, and dons the character of maturity. The child of the Spirit grows out of and above the pleasures snd employ- ments of the child of earth, and ﬁnds superior joys in the exercise of its eternal affections. What once appeared as duty, reproduction, ceases to be such ; and a new element being found, regeneration, a degradation is experienced in retreating back to the elements and practices of an earthly being. “ He that is down,” on the plane of sensuality, “needs fear no fall from it ;” but those who, having tasted of the powers of the world to come, who like Jesus have been taught of a superior way, resurrected thereto, and experience eter- nal life, oh, what a fall is theirs, to return, like a dog to his vomit, to engage in the practices of a being beneath them ! Mar- riage is honorable, but not Christian. Marriage is believed by multitudes to be God-ordained for the replenishing of the earth. Let its advocates carefully carry out the provision, in all conscience, agreeably to the Mosaic statutes, then are they good Jews. But there is no law that can make them Christians--even , poor Christians ! If the Shakers, by abstaining from mar- riage “ are running the world out,” let it run; We think Christianity a preferable institution—as Jesus is more honorable than Adam; and when the charge of run- ning the world out rises in the mind as an argument against Shakerism, let crusaders think how much more populous the earth would be, if all should live the life of that Christian exemplar, saying naught of the poor, despised Shakers. * “It is no more than bare justice to say, that we are indebted to the Shakers, more than any or all other social archi- tects of modern times. Their success has been the ‘specie basis’ that has upheld all the paper theories, and coun- teracted the failures of the French and English schools. It is very doubtful, whether Owenism or Fourierism would have ever existed, or if they had, whether they would have moved the practical American mind, if the facts of Shakerism had not existed before them. While we say the Rappites, the Zoarites, the Ebenezers, Owenites, and even the Four- ierists are all echoes of the Shakers, We must also say that the Shakers are the far-oif echoes of the PRIMITIVE CHRIS- TIAN CHUncn.”——J. H. Noyes. 16 THE SHAICER. A Concise Statement. ( Concluded.) They that believed in Christ’s gospel, and were obedient to that form of doctrine which was taught them ; by denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts; and became entirely dead to the law by the body of Christ, or power of the Holy Ghost, were in the travail of the res- urrection from the dead; or the redemption of the body. So that they who took up a full cross against the world, ﬂesh, and devil, and who forsook all for Christ’s sake, and .fol1o wed him in the regeneration, by persever- ing in that line of obedience to the end, found the resurrection from the dead, and eternal salvation in that dispensation; but as the measure of that dispensation was only as water to the loins, the mystery of God not ﬁnished; but there was another day prophe- sied of, called the second appearance of Christ, or ﬁnal and last display of God’s grace to a lost world: in which the mystery of God should be ﬁnished as he has spoken by his prophets since the world began: which day could not come, except there was a falling away from that faith and power that the church then stood in; in which time anti- christ was to have his reign, whom Christ should destroy with the spirit of his mouth and brightness of his appearance : which fall- ing away began soon after the apostles, and gradually increased in the church, until about four hundred and ﬁfty-seven years from Christ’s birth, or thereabouts, at which time the power of the Holy People, or church of Christ, was scattered or lost by reason of transgression: and antichrist, or false relig- ion became established. Since that time the witnesses of Christ have prophesied in sack- loth or under darkness; and altho’ many have been faithful to testify against sin, even to the laying down of their lives for the testi- mony which they held, so that God accepted them in their obedience: while they were faithful and just to live or walk up to the measure of light and truth of God, revealed or made known unto them, but as it is writ- ten, that all they that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution : and so it has been, and those faithful witnesses lost their lives by those falsely called the church of Christ: which is antichrist; for the true church of Christ never persecuted any; but were inoffeiisive, harmless, separate from sin : for the true church of Christ taking up their cross against the world, ﬂesh, and devil, and all sin, living in obedience to God, they earnest- ly contend for the same. Therefore it may be plainly seen and known, where the true church of Christ is :but as it is written, anti- clirist or false churches should prevail against the saints and overcome them before Christ’s second appearance, 2 Thess. ii, 3. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away ﬁrst ; and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, Rev. xiii: 7. And it - was given unto him to overcome them, and power was given him over all kindreds, tongues, and nations; and this is the state Christ prophesied the world of mankind should be in, at his second appearance, Luke xvii. 26. And as it was in the day of Noe, so shall it be in the days of the Son of Man, verse 30. Even so shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed : plainly referring to his second appearance to consume or de- stroy antichrist, and make a ﬁnal end of sin, and establish his kingdom upon earth: but as the revelation of Christ must be in his people, whom he had chosen to be his body, to give testimony of him and to preach his gospel to a lost world. 4th. The fourth dispensation or day is the second appearance of Christ, or ﬁnal, or last display of God’s grace to a lost world, in which the mystery of God will be ﬁnished and a decisive work, to the ﬁnal salvation, or damnation of all the children of men: which according to the prophecies rightly calculated, and truly understood, began in the year of our Saviour Jesus Christ, 1747. See Daniel and the Revelations. In the manner follow- ing, lst. To a number, in the manifestation of great light and mighty trembling by the invis- ible power of God, and visions, and revel- ations, a.nd prophecies which has progressively increased, with administration of all those spiritual gifts, that were administered to the apostles at the day of pentecost: which is the comforter that has led us into all truth: which was promised to abide with the true church of Christ unto the end of the world, and by which we ﬁnd baptism into Christ’s death; death to all sin, become alive to God, by the power of Christ’s resurrection which worketh in us mightily; by which a dispen- sation of the gospel is committed unto us; and woe be unto us if we preach not the gos- pel of Christ. For in ﬁnding so great a sal- vation and deliverance from the law of sin and death in believing and obeying this gos- pel which is the gospel_of Christ, in confes- sing and forsaking all sin and denying our- selves and bearing the cross of Christ, against the world, ﬂesh, and devil. ‘ lVe have found repentance of all our sins; and are made partakcrs of the grace of God wherein we now stand: which all others in believing and obeying, have acceptance with God, and ﬁnd salvation from their sins as well as we ; God being no respeetcr of per- sons, but willing that all should come to the knowledge of the truth, and be saved. Thus we have given a short information of what we believe of the dispensations of God’s grace to mankind, both past and present: and in what manner the people of God have found justifi- cation or acceptance with God, which was and is still in believing and obeying the light and truth of God, revealed or made known in the day or dispensation in which it is revealed: for as the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unright— eousness of men, who hold the truth in un- righteousness or live in any known sin against him; so his mercy and grace is towards all them that truly fear him, and turn from all their sins, by confessing, forsaking, and repenting, which is the way and manner in which all must ﬁnd the forgiveness of their sins, and acceptance with God thro’ our Lord Jesus Christ, or ﬁnally fail of the grace of God; and that salvation which is brought to V light by the gospel. But to conclude, in short, as we believe, and do testify, that the present gospel of God’s grace unto us is the day which in the scripture, is spoken or proph- esied of, as the second appearing of Christ to consume or destroy anticltrist, or false relig- ion, and to make an end of the reigning power of sin (for he that eommiteth sin is the ser- vant of sin and satan) over the children of men: and to establish his kingdom, and that righteousness that will stand forever: and that the present display of the work and power of God, will increase until it is manifest to all; which it must be in due time: for every eye shall see him ; and he will reward every man according to his deeds: and none can stand in sin or unrighteousness, but in that righteousness which is pure and holy; even without fault before the throne of God which is obtained by grace, through faith in obedience to the truth of the everlasting gos- pel of our Lord Jesus Christ, in denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts; by confessing all sin, and taking up the cross of Christ, against the world, ﬂesh, and devil. “J. M., 1798.” THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITIUN OF RELIGION, ACCORDING TO SHAKER THEOLOGY. FIFTY CENTS, PER AXNUM, IN ADVANCE. Address, G. A. Lotus, Resident Editor, Shakers, ALBANY, N. Y. MEMBERS OF SOCIETY ﬂppointed to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. l£lderF. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, Albany, N. Y. “ C. E. Sears, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. “ Simon Malice, \V'est Pittsﬁelil, Mass. “ Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Conn., Sliakers. “ Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. “ W'm. Leonard, Shakers. “ John Whiteley, Shirley Village, Middlesex Co., Mass. “ Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. “ Henry Cummings, Enﬁeld, Grafton Co., N. H. “ John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. “ Alonzo Gilman, West Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Mc., Shakers. “ O. C. Hampton, Union Village, W'arren Co., 0., Shakers. “ Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. “ Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers. Ohio. “ George Runyon, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. “ J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. “ J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. Groton Junction, Mass., PUBLICATIONS. Christ’s First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church - - - - - - 1 00 Compenclium of Shakerism - ~ - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests - - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0102
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 03 (March 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-03-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “ I WILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND rnn nssmn or ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL rms nousn WITH GLORY, sAIrn THE Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprio. VoL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY, N. Y., MARCH, 1871. No. 3. POETICAL. “ The Shaker.” I look upon thy simple page, And feel thy mission in my soul ; The light that gleam’d from age to age May now shine forth without control. The myriad watch-ﬁres of the Past, With thine their sacred ﬂames shall blend; And brazen sceptres there be cast, Until oppression’s rule shall end. Let not thy searching power slack, Till honored falsehoods come to shame , Till fettering gyve, and torturing rack, Shall melt before thy burning ﬂame. Those agonies the soul must feel, From Error’s grasp upon the mind, More painful are than piercing steel, 01' iron chains, that clog and bind. How slow Cres.tion’s lengthenld plan Crept on, through periods untold ; From molten globe, to reasoning man, What lessons we shall y...
Show more“ I WILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND rnn nssmn or ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL rms nousn WITH GLORY, sAIrn THE Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprio. VoL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY, N. Y., MARCH, 1871. No. 3. POETICAL. “ The Shaker.” I look upon thy simple page, And feel thy mission in my soul ; The light that gleam’d from age to age May now shine forth without control. The myriad watch-ﬁres of the Past, With thine their sacred ﬂames shall blend; And brazen sceptres there be cast, Until oppression’s rule shall end. Let not thy searching power slack, Till honored falsehoods come to shame , Till fettering gyve, and torturing rack, Shall melt before thy burning ﬂame. Those agonies the soul must feel, From Error’s grasp upon the mind, More painful are than piercing steel, 01' iron chains, that clog and bind. How slow Cres.tion’s lengthenld plan Crept on, through periods untold ; From molten globe, to reasoning man, What lessons we shall yet unfold! And histoi-y’s demotic leaf, Her primer-hooks grotesque and rude, The heart no longer chill with grief; For now it reads the March of good! Go forth, thou SHAKER, shake the earth ; Let her foundations feel thy power, Until establish’d is her worth, And truth and glory are her dower. Go forth and shake the heavens too ; Let thunders roll and lightnings ﬂash ; Let God’s eternal law be true, Though man-made systems rend and crash. ’Tis not for creed, nor sect, nor name, That thou shalt speak the word of might ; ’Tis not for mortals’ wealth nor fame ; But for the holy cause of Right. Go forth ! Work miracles of love! Heal every soul now sick of sin! Go, like the spirit of the Dove, The weary, hopeless heart to win! Thou art the instrument of God ; Keep pure from every earthly taint ; Be simple as the shepherd’s rod ; And fervent, as the guileless saint. Go forth, and prayers thy course shall speed, Shall ﬁll thee as a. gentle gale ; Bear unto every heart its need : The Angels guide! thou cans’t not fail. 0. DV. Perfection Possible. It surely is within my power To be quite perfect one whole hour- No easier one, than twenty-four, And just as well three days or more. N ow, if Pm good three days, or four, \Vhy not as well one hundred more? And if so long I wisely steer, Why not be good throughout the year ? G. L. _ humble Gentile woman. Religion and Spiritualism. “ A State without a Cfzurc/2.” In the new Era, which opened about the year 1792, two marked and typical characters arose, coming up, or (as it were), being evolved from the general elements of humanity—Ann Lee and Emanuel Swedenborg: Ann as the‘ em- bodiment of the Religious, and Sweden- borg of the Spiritualistic elements. Swedenborg was born in 1688, and died in 1772. Ann was born in 1736, and died in 1784. Thus they were cotcmporary for thirty-six years, and she lived twelve years after his death. Ann was born of lowly parentage, in Toad lane (now Todd street), Manchester, England, with no genealogical family-tree known to history or fame; a. poor and She was one of the “ common people ” who so gladly heard the teachings of Jesus. From a child, her mind was religiously exercised about right and wrong, good and evil, holiness and unholiness. She literally hungered and thirsted after righteousness; had deep and powerful convictions of sin, in relation to many things held in high estimation by popular Christians, particularly the use and abuse of the reproductive powers and faculties of human beings. Marriage in- tensiﬁed those convictions, and brought her under great tribulation of soul, which caused her to cry to God for entire deliver- ance from the thraldom of sin in general. At an early age, she began to have visions, having found an entrance into the sp2'7'z't world. After some nine years of great spiritual suﬁfering of soul, in 1770, occurred the great event of her life, and of the age in which she lived. Jesus appeared to her in person, and baptized her into and with the Christ Spirit, as John had baptized him. By his ministra- tion, the eyes of her understanding “ were opened” to discover the “foundations of the world,” and to see plainly that they were “out of course.” The primary causes of the alienation and consequent separation from God of humanity were clearly‘ revealed ; and the whole Work of redemption, operating through the Four great Dispensatzons of human salvation, from beginning to end, were made so “ plain” that there was no occasion to “ err ” in coming to practical conclusions. God had set his hand “the second time to redeem Israel” from the bondage of sin. And the Christ Spirit, through Jesus, said to Ann, “‘Thou art the W0- man of sin’ who needest redemption (for she was as are all mankind, ‘ clothed in ﬁlthy garments’ of unrightcousness); repent, confess to some mortal being like your- self, as a. witness for God; and then for- sake ; and thou shalt preach this Gospel to other souls, that they may follow you as you have followed J esus. and baptize other souls as you have been baptized with the Christ Spirit.” Adam Clark says : “ In speaking of the second appearance of Christ.—-the opening of a new dispensation,—-it must commence with some particular individual; in some particular place, and at some speciﬁed time.” _ Evidently, the way to redeem humanity, as a. whole, was thus to begin with one, human being, as a nucleus, for Christians to gather to, in the founding of a Gentile Pentecostal Church—a Community of goods,—on the basis of Celibacy and Peace. This was religion—cease to do evil; learn to do well-—-distinct from mere theology. Religion in this illiterate wo- man, and in herfollowers, would create its own theology, as the soul creates and shapes its own body. The principal point of her testimony was in relation to human sexuality. While Ann came from the lower strata of society, so far as literary and scientiﬁc attainments were concerned, Swedenborg came from the upper classes. His father was a bishop ; and the family was ennobled by the Sovereign of Sweden——Queen Ulrica Eleonora. “Swedenborg’s parentage and home,” says his biographer, “were happy omens of his future life. He was brought up with strict, but kindly care; was educated by his father in all innocence and scientiﬁc learning; and enjoyed the opportunities afforded by the sphere and example of family virtues, accomplishments, and high station, with which he was surrounded.” These were great advantages, and calcu- 18 lated to prepare him to associate with the noble, the great, and the learned of “this 2 world.” In this respect he was the anti- pode of Ann Lee. Yet there were points of similarity, as when he says, “from my fourth to my tenth year, my thoughts were constantly engrossed by reﬂecting on God, on salvation, and on the spiritual affections of man.” - (Swedenborg addressed the understand- ing with logic, and ministered convince- ment. Ann addressed herself to the heart, and ministered conviction.) “I often revealed things, in my dis- course, which ﬁlled my parents with aston- ishment, and made them declare, at times, that certainly the angels spoke through my mouth. It was my greatest delight to converse with the clergy concerning faith.” Yet, when eleven years of age, he knew nothinglof the “plan of salvation,” as it is called. His father, being a Spiritualist, was not very orthodox. He writes: “I am not inclined myself, and would be far from persuading any one to credulity and superstition. But may not the all-wise God, in all ages, think it necessary, by extraordinary instances, to ﬁx upon the minds of mankind some signal impressions I of his over-ruling power, and of the truth of his holy Gospel? ” This was very signiﬁcant for those times ; and such a father could not fail to impress his son as a Spiritualist. It is said to be darkest just before the dawn; and the “ darkness which had covered the ‘earth ” and the Churches—--“ the gross spiritual darkness which covered the whole people ” -—was never more dense than at that Epoch. In Rev. xviii, it is said, “I saw an angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory.” Swedenborg was the leading medium of this angel to the in- habitants‘ of earth. “He was the most transcendent human being that has ever yet shone upon our dark (Gentile) world. Even in science and philosophy, he nobly strode a century before his time. He was a man, take him for all in all,.the most nobly gifted of any of the sons of earth, both on the side of nature and of spirit. This opening of the spiritual, was Sweden- borg’s tendency from the ﬁrst. He ex- pected the kingdom of God to come upon him in the shape of clear principles deduced from all human knowledge; a scientiﬁc theology, resting upon nature and revela- tion, interpreted by analogy and synthesis, from the ground of a pure habit and a holy life. His ascent from the natural to the spiritual was step by step from the deep mines and rudiments of the mineral king- dom (‘he was known as the Assessor’), passing gradually upwards through the h.—. mysteries of organic nature to the human soul itself.” “ His discoveries and teachings in geology, mineralogy, botany, natural history, animal and human physiology, chemistry, crystalography, mathematics, mechanics, astronomy, and natural phi- losophy, show how deeply the world is in- debted to the labors of this ‘ great humble man,’ in whose works can be found the seeds of principles of all that is known of the essences, forms, powers and uses of universal matter; and how far he was in advance of Bacon, Newton, Laplace, Kep- ler, Herschel, Cuvier, or any other man,’ as a theorist -and author, yet free from all jealousies and animosities growing out of any of them, as to who should be the greatest in the kingdom of Nature. It was said of him, that ‘ He set one foot of the compass of truth in God, and with the other swept all creation, both animate and inanimate, as seer, theologian, and philoso- pher of spirit.’ ” These are high claims; but he was the angel of Spiritnalism, and the true proto- type of Spiritualists; as Ann was the “angel seen standing in the sun (Rev. 19: 17), crying to all the fowls that ﬂy in the midst of heaven, come and gather your- selves together unto the supper of the great God, that ye may eat the ﬂesh of kings, and the ﬂesh of captains, and the ﬂesh of mighty men, both free and bond, small and great. And the beast (was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles by Spiritnalism, before him, with which he deceived them that received the mark of the beast, and them These both were cast alive into a lake of ﬁre burning with brimstcne.” And she was a true type of “the remnant that was slain by the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth ;” and was the testimony of the Christ Spirit against “ﬂeshly” generation, and all the doleful works of darkness; from which, neither Swedenborg nor his follow- ers have as yet been delivered. that worshiped his image. Spiritualism is the mother of the scien- ces, and the esse of all theology. Swe- denborg personiﬁed the spirit and truth of the ﬁrst Gentile Christian Church, in- cluding the imperfect theology of the Apostles, and of their Greek and Roman Catholic successors, and claims that Jesus personally appeared in vision to him. There was truth in his claim to be the messenger, or harbinger, of the descent of the New Jerusalem Church on earth. “In 1767, our author was still in Stockholm, observing with care the eﬂ'ect produced by his writings; he being then 79 years of age, thus replied to the ques- AT THE SHAKER. ition, How soon is the New Church to he expected? ‘The Lord is preparing, at this time, a new heaven of such as believe in him, and acknowledge him to he the true God of heaven and earth; and also look to Him in their lines, which is to shun evil, and do good; because from that heaven shall the New Jerusalem mentioned in Rev. 21:2, descend. I daily see spirits ‘and angels, from ten to twenty thousand, descending and ascending, who are set in order. By degrees, as that heaven is formed, the New Church like- wise begins and increases. The Universi- ties in Christendom are now first instruct- ed, from whence will come mi-nisters; be- cause the new heaven has no inﬂuence over the old clergy, who conceive them- selves to be too well skilled in the doctrine of justification by faith alone.’ ” Is not this testimony and witness of Swedenborg (whom Ann declared to be her John the Baptist) transcendently in- teresting? in view of the testimony of Mother Ann and her virgin followers,-— the Shakers,——that the time had fully come for the second appearing of Christ, that the reign of the beast and of his image-—the Catholic and Protestant world —in combined Church and State govern- ments, and involving the power of relig- ious persecution, by the sword in the hands of civil rulers, ended in the ﬁnal success of the American Revolution, and the establishment of a new earthly or civil government by skeptical powers that had grown out of the beast, on the basis of pure materialism; which government ex- cluded the priests of all religious denomi- nations from civil power, and declared entire liberty of conscience, in matters of theology, from the Hindoo to the Atheist; treating with all human beings simply in relation to their civil rights; and exclud- ing theology from the Constitution of the United States. And, in 1793, the Gen- tile Pentecostal Church. of “all things comm on l’—the Shaker Order—was found- ed in New Lebanon, N. Y. Here are two witnesses to the same thing: the creation in this, and in the the spirit world, of a “new heaven and a new earth; ” a new Church, which is not of this world, and will not ﬁght; and a new civil government without a Church. Thus the dissolution of the old order of Church and State Governments has com- menced—the beginning of the end of the old world. Swedenborg says: “All conﬁrmations in things pertaining to theology are, as it were, glued fast in the brain, and can with diiﬂiculty be removed; and, whilst they remain, genuine truths can ﬁnd no place.” “ Besides, the new heaven of Christians, TI-IE 19 from whence the New‘Jerusalem from the Lord will descend (Rev. 21:1 and 2), is not yet perfectly settled.”——Letters to Dr. Beyer. A prac-tieal life of righteousness, by characters formed after the pattern of J esus. was the only means by which God a could work the work of redemption among the human race on earth, and- ﬁnally create, in the spirit world, a “ New Heaven,” having for its foundations the New Church on earth; and having for its founders souls who, while in the body. had accepted the testimony of Mother Ann. Inasmuch as it is not known that Swe- denborg was acquainted with Ann Lee, or her testimony, his witness is the more wonderful in its character, and astonishing in its accuracyl! “In every view of mankind, and in each fresh system of doctrines which pro- fesses to apply itself to the wants of an age, the subject of marriage can hardly fail to have an important place. In many systems, indeed, it furnishes the experi- mentnm crucis, and at once decides their pretensions.” This is emphatically the case with the Shaker system, which claims to be (and really is) the Resurrection Order, and above the marriage relation. _ “The author aﬂirms, upon a union of experimental and rational evidence, that sex is a permanent fact in human nature; that men are men, and women women, in the highest heavens, as here on earth; that it is the soul which is male or ‘female ; and that sex is thence derived into the mortal body, and into the natural world. Therefore that the difference of sexes is brighter and more exquisite in proportion as the person is high, and the sphere pure. “ The distinction not only reaches to the individual, but it is anatomically minute besides: every thought, affection, and sense of a male is male, and of a female is feminine. The smallest drop of intel- lect or will, is inconvertible between the sexes; if man’s, it can never become wo- man’s, nor vice oersa. “ The sexual distinction is founded upon the two radical attributes of God; upon his Divine Love and his Divine Wisdom, whereof the former is feminine, and the latter is masculine.” John the Baptist never approximated nearer to Jesus, than did Swedenborg to Ann; for this is simple Shakerism in its rudimentals, that God is dual——male and female; that the Christs are dual; and that the second manifestation of the Christ was in a woman, for the reason above assigned-—dz'ﬁ'erence of sex. The Resurrection Order, founded by Ann is raising sex up from the physical plane to the Christ, spiritual plane, where there is no “ marrying nor giving in mar- riage.” And, while Mother Ann appreci- ated Swedenborg, and understood his mis- sion better than he did himself, Ann and her mission were not at all apprehended by Swedenborg. He acknowledged that he daily saw thousands of the angels (human souls) descending and ascending to and from the earth. lye say they visited Mother Ann, to whom many of them confessed their sins. For she aﬁirm- ed just as did Swedenborg, _that she was “ more familiar with the souls of men and women out of the body than she was with those who were in the body; and that she frequently heard them confess their sins.” Here was the dividing line. For, while Swedenborg knew that a new heaven was being founded, he knew not by whom; nor did he know of its fundamental princi- ples; nor how much himself and his fol- lowers would have to drop and shake oil‘, in order to ﬁnd an entrance thereinto. For they also belong to the old generative heaven and earth, which are passing away: for Swedenborg never ascended above the heavens of the ﬁrst Christian Church, composed of Gentiles, in the spirit world and upon earth. But he understood far better than Ann, naturally, what is known as the circle of sciences, the “Arcana” of Nature; Swedenborg being the body, and Mother Ann the soul of the coming order—Spiritualis1n and Religion. Nor does Swedenborg appear to have ever learned the radical distinction of the two Christian Churchcs—Jew and Gentile; nor the fact of the existence of the Jewish Pentecostal Church in the spiritual world, —the home of Jesus and his Apostles,— as a sun to this earth, spiritually; nor that that Church embodied a distinct sys- tem of natural truths (as Moses declared) pertaining to man’s earth life ;—nutrition, generation, agriculture, chemistry; indeed all the sciences along in their order, as they have a practical relation to man as a religious being, whois bound in all things to do right; and that in doing right, all causes of suffering (bodily diseases includ- ed) would be banished from that portion of humanity. Though Swedenborg’s “knowledge on earth was marvelously inoreased;” and holiness was still more marvelously increas- ed through the suﬁ'e1'-ings and travail of soul of Mother Ann; for, although he was a good man under Christ’s ﬁrst appearing among the Gentiles—was the Gentile Jesus; and, as such, made it possible for the manifestation of Christ in a female, being her forcrunner,——a voice crying in the “wilderness ” (see Rev. xii.) “ Make straight- paths” for the coming female Messiah. For, like John, he only taught human beings to return to the paths of virtue from which they had strayed; to turn the hearts of the parents to the children, and the hearts of the children back to the Apostle Paul, and his Gentile associates. ' How different the case with Ann, who opened a radically-new and living way. While the followers of Swedenborg are known by their complex system of theol- ogy; in their lives they are like all other men and women of the world, in respect to generation, nutrition, and property; the disciples of Mother Ann—“ the vir- gins, her companions, who follow her”-—- are led unto the King, Jesus, by the Christ Spirit; and, after a hundred years of isolation and obloquy, are known as having solved the problem that men and women can be “ neither male or female generatively; but are one in Christ Jesus,” and live a pure, Christian life; and that, .too, under greater temptations than ever Jesus or his Apostles, or any of the celi- bate Orders under the ﬁrst appearing of Christ to either Jews or Gentiles were subjected to, and stood the test. For the “stars of heaven”—celibates—still “fell to the earth as ﬁgs from the tree, when shaken with a mighty wind.” See Dixon’s “ Spiritual Wives.” All human beings, of all nations, sects, tongues, and races, whatever their theol- ogy, and whether rich or poor, learned or unlearned, fall under the power of the same passions and emotions, from the Esquimaux to the Swedenborgian; and still seek indulgence through a perverted use of the powers and faculties of their own being. The Shakers are the only ex- ception to this rule; ‘for only they deny themselves of lust, in all its imperious craving, whether in eating or drinking, or in the exceedingly perverted order of re- production. “My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus; “ therefore my servants will not ﬁght.” Yet Swedenborg had no testi- mony against war, or any other of the ruling lusts of mankind. Still he “light- ened” the earth with the glory of his knowledge, scientiﬁc and spiritual; he Walked in kings’ palaces. The kings and queens, and nobles of the earth-the higher classes of society——were converted to Spiritualis7n through his agency; while his daughters, the Fox girls, were minis- ters to the “common people, who have heard them gladly;” they having been the mediums of great power in converting materialists, skeptics, inﬁdcls, in and out of the Churches, to a belief in the realities of mm" W i __... -._-. 20 THE SEIAKER. the unseen world ; and thus has the spirit of Spiritualism been “ poured out upon all ﬂesh.” Even handmaids and servants see visions, as did Swedenborg; and men prophesy, as nominal Christians and the followers of the Swedish seer have never done; for, actually and practically, the Swedenborgians have no more spirituality than have the average of common Spiritu- alists. Yet, while the followers of Ann Lee are also undoubted Spiritualists—believ- ers in spiritual manifestations, the immor- tality of the human soul, the intercommu- nication between the visible and invisible worlds-—they “ have no conﬁdence in the ﬂesh ; ” but, for their justiﬁcation, rely upon living lives of pure Christianity, similar to that of Jesus and the Pentecos- tal converts. In conclusion, it may be observed, that there was one point of dis- tinction and most marked contrast, in the different and opposite effects produced by the testimonies of Swedenborg and Mother Ann upon “ the world.” While Sweden- borg personally retained its “ friendship,” was the welcome and honored guest of European Sovereigns - and their courts, and a favorite of the Swedish nation, particularly of the nobles and religious hierarchy; Mother Ann excited the furi- ous rage of the Clergy, and the dragon- enmity of the high, professing Christians of all denominations, without exception. And in proportion to their religious zeal, did they think that they were doing God’s service, by pouring out of their mouths, a ﬂood of slanders, to carry away the W0- man and the remnant of her seed-——the Shakers. But “the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed up the ﬂood”— which “earth,” being the Materialists, and inﬁdels generally, who hated Christi- anity as a generative theology, because it was constantly whoring after, and commit- ting adultery with the STATE, then using it as a cat’s paw, with which to hunt and punish heretics, by horrid inquisitions! The Materialists having separated, effectu- ally and eternally, CHURCH and STATE in the government of the United States, letnot the Clergy impiously seek to join together what God, through them, has put asunder. “ Eternal vigilance,” on this subject, “is the price of the liberty” of conscience. ' F. W. E. Genuine Christianity began its career by dissolving the marriage tie, and making the man and woman nearer and dearer relatives—brother and sister. Popular Christianity has reversed this rule of life; and all the marriages it can solemnize, so much more honor to its churches! Jesus and his followers were virgins, or became single for a purpose. Millions rely for their salvation upon the merits of Jesus. “Behold, I come quickly, to give to every one according to their works.” In the death of Jesus there is no hope, only as he died unto sin ; in his life there is endless progression for all who will pattern it. it God’s Spiritual House, or the Perfected Latter Day Temple. The order of God’s spiritual House (when perfected) will be beautifully glorious. VVe, Believers in Christ’s second appearing claim, that the foundations of the latter day temple are laid; and, who will say that God was not there? He (speaking in ancient times by one of his Prophets) said, “Mine hand hath laid the foundations of the earth; and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call, they stand up together.” The old heavens and earth are out of course. Man and woman were created in honor; but they abode not in that honor. They were endowed with’ reasoning powers, and were placed as rulers over inferior beings, and exe- cutives of those laws which God had establish- ed for the guidance and protection of all grades of animal and vegetable life, having less intelli- gence than themsélves in the earthly order. Had they not inverted and perverted those laws, by corrupting the highest functions of their natures, and violated the trust committed to them on the earth plane, they would, unto this day, have remained lords, or just rulers-- a central power—a governing wheel; all the rest of the machinery, as wheels within wheels, would have worked harmoniously, each in its proper sphere contributing to aid the central governing force—man and woman. They would have walked together keeping the com- mands of God, and “the counsel of peace ” would have been “ between them both.” This was God’s original plan, that each—the male and female-—should have their appropriate sphere of action, working in harmony, with one accord, for the good of each other, and for the accomplishment of one great end. Woman, it is said, was first tempted—ﬁrst beguiled—-—and became a leader in the wrong direction; instead of being a. connecting link between man and angels, she placed herself on the opposite side of the scale, and drew him down to the inferior; and herself became a servant to the instincts of her own nature, and a slave to the baser passions of man; and, in- stead of occupying a place in his counsels, according to the original plan, she became an appendage; her will subjugated to his will—— not because of abstract right, but because of his might. Hence, he makes laws, and she is forced to obey them; common justice is denied her because she is the weaker vessel. Accord- ing to the laws which man frames, without the consent of woman (and by the usages of society) she is forced to work for half pay; and the little wealth which she accumulates by toiling weary hours when he can rest (by means of double pay which he receives for per- forming the same labor), she is taxed without representation on her part. This is her re- ward for being -found on the wrong side ! But now, God hath again put forth his hand and laid the foundation of a. new spiritual building; a new divine order, or heaven, is established upon a new temporal basis——com- munity of goods, new earth. In this new heaven and earth which are being formed, in which righteousness and holiness shall bear rule according to God’s will, not man’s, the eternal, unchangeable laws of justice and right will prevail, and the male and female will stand in their proper place: “and His right hand will span them both.” In this new order of things, woman must be purified and elevated : first, purified ! Then she will stand erect, according to the design of the Master—builder. Side by side, man and woman must walk and work, in all that is honest, pure, just and true, taking har- monious counsel together in all things pertain- ing to the present and future life. Woman is not man’s equal in physical -strength; neither, as a general rule, is she his equal in logic and the sterner qualities of the mind; but she possesses some properties which he does not; and combine the faculties of both, and when redeemed from the blight of sin, they will make one perfect whole, without schism, capable of honoring God, and beautifying the earth. It is for man’s interest that woman should find and ﬁll her proper sphere, and be some- thing higher, purer, and better than a slave to man’s passions, and to make a way for her to become a co-worker with him in elevating the race. How much her inﬂuence is needed in all ranks of society ! Let woman use her intelli- gence to find out her proper sphere of action, and in what consists her adorning, and she will soon cease to desire to be a mere thing of outward beauty, or an idol to be worshipped. Her strongest desire will be, to become a saving power; to send forth her inﬂuence to calm the raging passions of perverted nature, and rule the angry waves that roll. There is a great work to be accomplished by woman, on what we term the earthly (or generative) plane. She must work to roll back the the ﬂood of sensuality—the giant sin of our time, which ﬁnds its way into all ranks of society—is destroying the youth of our land by thousands, and is gnawing at the vitals of its subjects and bringing them to premature graves. Sensuality is the parent of war .' By it, all other base passions are set in motion which ultimate in bloodshed and carnage, and ﬁll the land with mourning and lamentation. It will devolve upon them (in a large meas- ure) to correct the abuses of the marriage rela- tion in the order in which it properly belongs, and to strip off the _cloak of sin which has covered it over, and point out its uses, and in trumpet tongues condemn its abuses. But those to whom the spirit has spoken, saying, “Come up hither on the higher or resurrection plane, and live as do the Angels- live above the marriage order, even in its best estate; have a high and important mission to perform.” A broad ﬁeld is open, and there is much work to be done. In our own loved home we are solving a great problem: Whether it is possible for human beings, under a sense of duty and deep religious feeling—-love to God and humanity—to come together under the same roof, from different nations, different religious sects and non-professors, and form a brotherhood and sisterhood, so unselﬁsh,that we can toil together in hat-mony——in honor preferring others; and to eat the bread of industry together (which is always sweet), THE SIEEAKER. 21 supporting one interest temporally, creating one joint treasury, as did the Apostles of Jesus. And, as the soul and body are so closely connected, while we learn to break our tem- poral bread together, so also do we learn to eat our spiritual food together at the Lord’s table. Industry, Frugality and Temperance being our motto; Truth, Purity and Love the standard around which we gather. As We do not recognize high nor low, rich nor poor, in this new relation, so neither do we ﬁnd the male and femafe, as in the old order. “All are one in Christ, working together for the one universal good.” And, while we stand ﬁrmly upon the rock, Virgin Purity, and are as angels of purity and innocence to our brethren, our feet Will never be displaced; in all our re- lations with them we shall be true helpmates, Worthy the digniﬁed name, of “Sisters in Christ,” sharing the burdens of life with them, and have a place in their councils, and stand by them in the hour of trial——to light their pathway and make home cheerful and happy. We recognize the law of dependency run- ning through all created things; the lesser leaning upon the greater——the weaker upon the stronger. Man is the lawful head, and is the representative of God in the male order, the Eternal Father, and will always have the supremacy. Woman, the representative of God in the female part of Deity, Mother, must act her part as co—worker, ﬁlling her sphere. There is no bondage in the law of dependency, even as there is no bondage in any of God’s laws! for, without law, all would be chaos. But when all his laws are faithfully executed, there will a beautiful structure rise up from the ruins of disregarded and broken law, that will stand upon the mountain of pure truth, and overlook all the hills and valleys below, and it will be a “house of prayer for all nations,” and unto it many people will gather. ANTOINETTE. The R. C. Church demands of its Pope, Bishops and Priests celibacy in the extreme ; very good, much like Jesus. Now, a curious anomaly is here made aDl3<’n'ent: a pure head-—if celibacy intends purity- and a corrupt bod_v—if marriage, and ﬂeshlv lusts are the opposite of celibacy. How can the laity hope. or much less expect to go, where their pure-minded priests are rewarded? “ I am the way." as “ But there is a higher life revealed in Scriptnre—a life by which an individual may voluntarily forego the mystery of marri age, to become more and more absorb- ed. in devotion to the duties of the spiritual union of Christ and Church; a liﬂe in which the love of the anti- type may be even so great as to banish from the mind all thought of the type, concentrating all the infections of the soul upon the reality of the substance—a life so entirely’ free from the temporal, with all its joys, and cares, and entanglements. as to see nothing, to think of nothing, and to long for nothing but the eternal- Christ Himself, and the fruition of his glorious God- head! How can it be denied that the Scriptures do reveal to us the the possibility of such a life ; and that it is the life of the celibate ‘for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake? ’—not the life of the mere unmarried, which in itself considered is one of the most selﬁsh of all lives. and which is not unfrequcntly chosen for the sake of selfish and criminal indulgence ; but the life of the celibate ‘for the Kingdom of IIeaven’s sake ?’ Our blessed Lord said. indeed, ‘ All men cannot receive this say/ing, save they to u-hom it is given; but he that is able to receiz-e it. let him receive it.’ ”—From Holy Jllatrinzony, by Dr. J. A. Belles. Christian Distinction——No. 2. Self-denial is one of the fundamental laws of growth for man on the primeval, or earthly plane of his existence. Not entire abstinence from enjoyment, but such abnegation as shall preserve all his faculties in harmonious balance. There is a constant tendency in human nature to run to excess, so that one needs to keep a perpetual guard over himself. Sometimes he is attracted by the charms of sensual indulg- ence, and again by what he regards as the pure pleasures of intellectual gratiﬁcation. He may have become so absorbed in intel- lectual gratiﬁcation; he may have become so absorbed in intellectual pursuits, as to neglect his physical and moral natures. It is no ex- cuse that the pleasures of sense plead so powerfully for indulgence ; nor, that the more refined enjoyments of theintellect ask for an unrestricted ﬁeld for action ; nor that the moral powers, under the delusive plea of serving God assert their supremacy; and their especial right to exclusive indulgence. Intoxication is the word to be applied to all this one-sided self-indulgence of whatever kind. There is no place for indulgence in God’s service; every talent must be made to perform its proper and necessary part in the Work of life. “VVhat- soever thy hand ﬁndeth to do, do it with thy might.” “Apply thy heart unto wisdom,” for, “that the soul be without knowledge it is not good.” “Keep thy heart with all dili- gence, for out of it are the issues of life.” These injunctions of Sacred VVrit are binding on all men, under all circumstances, just so far as those circumstances allow of their observing them. Their observance is neces- sary, in order to keep us from running into excess of any kind, as well as to avoid the other extreme of evil—a barren soul. If dis- sipation, whether of the senses, of the mental faculties, or of the moral powers, is an essen- tial injury to the individual, so are unculti- vated, unfruitful faculties. Desolation and death are the results not only of excesses in the use of God’s blessings, but of neglect to improve them. In contradistinction to all those whose lives are given to sensual indulg- ences and whose thoughts are engrossed with earthly things, the genuine Christian lives constantly under the influence and direction of the Divine Spirit, and hence his aifections are placed upon heavenly things, rather than upon things of the earth. “Our citizenship or community,” (according to the original,) “is in the heavens. As individuals our names are enrolled with those of the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and as a body, we are one with that community in the heavens; our life is the same as their ‘life, our interest the same as theirs ; our loves, our aspirations, our efforts are all tending God—ward as well as theirs; hence, though living upon the earth, we are not of the earth, but really of the heavens. It is true, our present state is one of humiliation compared with what it shall be, but we are looking for the Saviour who will change this state of things in due time, by the inward operations of his Spirit, so that we shall become, in all respects like his church in glory.” There is an interchange of expres- sions made by Jesus Christ and the apostles, that is deserving our consideration. Jesus directed his disciples to pray: “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Again he said, “No doubt, the kingdom of God has come unto you,” and, “ the kingdom of heaven is within you.” The apostle Paul said to Christians: “Ye are come to the City of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innu- merable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect.” The coming of the kingdom of God to us, and our coming to the heavenly Jerusalem, then, are convertible ex- pressions. There is implied, something more than being admitted at some indeﬁnite time in the future to the privileges of citizenship in the heavenly state. The community of believ- ers is already in the heavens, and the life of the heavenly world is theirs now. That being the case, their aifections cannot be placed on thin gs of the earth; hence the grief of the apostle on account of those who were sensual, instead of being spiritual ; they had in reality severed their relation to Christ and his king- dom. Instead of being dead to sin, and alive to God, they were dead in sin; they had no communion with beings of the heavenly state; the angels of God did not associate with them as with familiar and congenial spirits, as they did with Jesus, the Apostles, and all who lived truly Christian lives. There is hardly anything in the Apostolic writings more evident than the fact of the inti- mate connection between the body of Christ on the earth, and his body or church in the heavenly world. They are represented as being risen with Christ, sitting together in heavenly places in Christ, and as having Christ formed within them the hope of glory. God’s fullness, or complete spiritual possession, was said to be in Christ; the same term was applied to his Church. There was a oneness between him and them as between him and the Father. It is true, the church was expect- ing another manifestation of him, but it was only a manifestation differing in degree, and not in its essential nature. Christ had already come as a Saviour from sin; they were looking for him a second time, yet that was to be “without sin unto salvation.” “We know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him.” Salvation from sin, or from the ten- dency to transgress God’s law of love, was the characteristic work of Christ’s ﬁrst manifesta- tion; a complete deliverance from the nature that is subject to trials, and liable to fall into sin, is the glorious and crowning work of the second. “Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inherit- ance until the redemption of the purchased possession.” It was, then, no unmeaning, or self-exalting language that the apostle ad- dressed to the church at Philippi, when he exhorted them to be “joint imitators ” of him- self. For he, himself, followed Christ in his entire life. If Jesus'suﬂ'ered humiliation, so did be; if Jesus underwent severe trials, he partook of the same, being in Weariness and painfulness often ;” if Jesus labored inces- santly for the welfare of others, Paul also showed that he was actuated by the same benevolent motives, by his abundant labors in .-i ..a ., ,.,,- W, . .. . - 22 THE- SHAKER. behalf of others. Jesus, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame; Paul, also, forgetting the things that were behind, pressed toward the mark, for the prize of his high calling in Christ Jesus. “ Let as many of us as are perfect,” said he, “ be thus minded ; let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ.” The ex- hortation then, to follow himself, was most beﬁtting. It would lead them from this state of humiliation to glory, an object worthy of their highest aspirations. By imitating Paul they would become united to him in spirit, as he was united to Christ, and as Christ was united to God and the whole heavenly host. Thus, they would be made partakers of the life of all—their love, their peace, their joy, and their exalted blessedness. Being imita- tors of him, they Would be saved from the evils that were in the world through lust, would keep themselvs unspotted from sin, per- fecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. The Spirit of Christ that was effectual to purify them from evil inclinations, was also efficacious to create and maintain in. them all, pure af fections. They lived in harmony with each other, and the same power that wrought in them their kind feelings toward each other, also enabled them to conduct themselves honestly and peacefully towards those with- out their body. Hence, they avoided all oc- casions of dispute with others as far as pos- pible. And though they suffered persecutions, they bore all with the same equanimity that Jesus did under similar circumstances. There is no fact better substantiated by history, than that of the peaceable behaviour of the early Christians towards their most bitter oppo- nents, and their refraining from wars and con- tests of every kind, even though they were carried on by those governments of which they wereregarded as the subjects. The very genius of their religion required it; and the Divine Spirit of Christ wrought in them an aversion to wars, and enabled them to bear whatever persecutions might arise in conse- quence of their refusal to engage in them. It is true, the philosophy of their day as well as much of that of the present time, has ascribed their power of endurance amid the severest sufferings to the obstinacy and the sustaining power of fanaticism. That was to be expected from its entire ignorance of the sustaining power which the religion of Christ afforded to its faithful martyrs. If their citizenship was in the heavens, their life should be in ac- cordance with that fact. As a matter of course then, they owed no allegiance to any government whose spirit was in direct con- trast to that of which they were the accepted citizens. It was very natural that their enemies should ascribe their avowal of allegi- ance to Christ to obstinacy, superstition and fanaticism, yet that did not alter the facts in the case. The faithful adherents of Christ, claimed to know what they maintained with so much earnestness ; and their opportunities of knowing were certainly superior to those of their adversaries, whose bare assertions many have been disposed to regard as_ philosophic truth.‘ The Church of Christ, then, in the apostles’ day, was a community separated from the common practices of the world; from its wars and contentions of every sort; from its ambitions, its tyrannies, its slaveries, whether of body or soul_; from its monarchies, its aristocracies, its democracies, or whatever form of worldly gevernment. It was also distinct from the very spirit and life of the world. ~ It had renounced all sensuality, whether in the form of gluttony, of drunken- ness or of licentious passion, and every thing that was contrary to divine purity and love; and if any adhered to it who were not of this character they were such as excited the tears of the apostle for their lack of the genuine spirit of Christianity. It was a community sui generis——-peculiar to itself, existing upon the earth amid its various governments, and yet having its citizenship in the heavenly world ; acknowledging Christ as its head, and his laws as the supreme rule of its life ; whom they were expecting to make a second mani- festation to themselves for the purpose of completing the work of salvation he had begun in them, and ﬁtting them for an entrance into the society and blessedness of the ‘church in eternal glory. The Church of Christ in the present day should be no less separated from those things which the apostolic church shun- ned, than they; and it would not be un- reasonable to suppose, that, if possible, it should be more so, after the lapse of so many centuries. It should have greater power of the Divine Spirit to effect a greater work of salvation; more intimate union and commun- ion with the heavenly hosts, whose life of love, of peace and harmony, should pervade the entire body of the church on earth, animat- ing every member to the complctest activity and consecration of every faculty, physical, mental, and moral, to the sole work of Christ- that of establishing the kingdom of heaven everywhere upon the earth, and ﬁtting it for its ultimate destination in the heavens. W. H. B., Groveland, N. Y. BIOGRAPHICAL. Ann Lee. ( Continued.) Mother Ann was once dragged out of meet- ing by a mob, and cast into prison in Man- chester. Her cell was too small for her to straighten herself. She remained here four- teen days without other nourishment than a little milk and wine mixed and passed to her through the stem of a tobacco pipe, by insert- ing it into the key-hole. VVhen taken out of prison, her enemiesiwere astonished to see her walk off, apparently hearty. At another time she was taken by a mob upon the highway and ordered to advance; she did so, and was kicked every few steps for two miles, and for variety knocked down with clubs. A noble- man, living at a distance, was so strongly wrought upon by some unknown power, to go abroad, where, or for what. he did not know, but ordering a horse, he rode as if to save his own life, came upon the mob, reproved and dispersed them, and restored Mother Ann to her friends. Being accused of blasphemy, she was taken before four ministers of the English Church with a view to obtain judgment against her, that would excuse her persecutors for put- ting into execution their threats—branding her cheek and boring her tongue with a hot iron. Being called upon by these clergymen to speak in tongues, she told them she could not without the help of God. That help came and she spoke for four hours. The clergymen being learned linguists, stated that she had spoken of the wonderful works of God in seventy—two languages .’ They advised the mob not to molest her; but they, more enraged than ever, determined to stone her to death. Taking her and a few of her companions into a valley ouside of the town, they threw stones at them, yet without effect. Quarreliiig among tnemselves followed, and they abandoned their wicked design. Mother Ann said: “VVhile they were throwing stones, I felt myself surrounded with the presence of God, and my soul was ﬁlled with love. I knew they could not kill me, for my work was not yet done; therefore I felt joyful and comfort- able while my enemies felt confusion and dis- tress.” From one of her own brothers she received shocking abuse, by his beating her until he was exhausted; when, calling for drink he re- peated the assault with the other end of the staff until it was splintered. She testified she felt no harm from the strokes. Fleeing from a mob, she went out on a pond of ice and laid down, remaining there all night, not suffering any inconvenience there- from. Her persecutors often met with sudden deaths ; one, while on his way to get a license from the king to banish her; others became fearfully convicted of their doings, and desisted; so that for two years before leaving England they enjoyed their faith in peace. On the 19th of May, 1774, Mother Ann, with eight followers, took passage for America in a condemned sea—going vessel, the Mariah, Cap- tain Smith, of New York. Mother said: “I knew by revelation that God had a chosen people in America; I saw some of them in vision, and when I met them in America, I knew them. I had a vision of America: I saw a large tree, every leaf of which shone with such brightness as made it appear like a burning torch, representing the Church of Christ which will yet be established in this land.” _ The Captain of thepvessel was greatly of- fended at their religious exercises, and forbade their recurrence; but they, disregarding him and his threats to cast them overboard, went forth in dancing and shouting, when the Cap- tain proceeded to carry his threats into exe- cution. A storm was raging; a plank loos- ened by a heavy sea caused the water to rise rapidly, regardless of all the pumps in use. The crew quailed; the Captain, alarmed and pale as a corpse, told all of their inevitable fate. “Captain,” said Mother Ann, “be of good cheer; there shall not a hair of our heads perish; we shall arrive safe in America. I saw two bright angels of God standing by the mast, through whom I receired this promise.” Then came a great wave, striking the ship, forced the plank back into its place. After this, the Captain gave full permission for them to ‘I - the prison. THE SHLAKER. 23 worship as they pleased, and treated them with kindness; declaring, in New York, if it had not been for these Shakers, he never would have reached America. They landed in America, August 6, 1774. Not long afterward Mother Ann and company collected at what is now Shaker Village, seven miles north-west from Albany, New York. Accessions were soon made to their faith, and with increase of numbers came tribulation and persecution. The war of the Revolution was in progress; they were charged with being unfriendly to the Cause, because they would neither ﬁght nor swear allegiance. They were imprisoned; still their numbers increased; many uniting and confessing their sins through the bars of They were separated: some sent towards Poughkeepsie with the intention of banishment to the British army, but failing here, they were lodged in jail at Poughkeepsie. Gov. George Clinton released them, and they returned to Shaker Village. In May, 1781, Mother and a company left Watervliet on a missionary tour to the Eastern States. They made many converts and established new so- cieties in Massachusetts. They again became the subjects of persecution, and the most dread- ful abuse was inﬂicted. Clubbed, whipped, stoned, dragged about the streets by the arms and the hair of their heads, pulled down stairs by their feet, and otherwise shockingly maltreated, because of their testimony alone. Their lives were often threatened, and were it not for some overruling power, they never could have survived the attacks of their per- sccutors. Dreadful judgments fell upon their enemies, and it became a proverb that “the Shaker drivers are all coming to naught.” Mother Ann departed this life at Shaker Village, Albany County, on the 8th day of September, H84, in her 49th year. Chris- topher Love, who was beheaded under Crom- well, prophesied that “ Out of thee, 0 England, shall a bright star arise, whose light and voice shall make the heavens quake, and knock under with submission to the blessed Jesus.” To whom could this apply? We purpose, in our next, to pen some of the sayings of Mother Ann. * Blood signiﬁes life. Blood is the life element. The blood of Jesus was earthly, and powerless for salva- tion; his death on Calvary is not worthy of notice- The blood of Christ is quite another element ; it was the saving element of life that circulated in the soul of Jesus ; by it he became Jesus Christ. Being “washed in the blood of Christ,” intends that we must die unto sin as did Jesus, and live the life of which he was the pattern. How easily might the millennium be inaugurated if all would burn up their theologies, and live the religion of Christ. The life of J csus was a pattern—-those who follow that pattern are Christians ; any departure therefrom, is a divergence from “follow me,” and the creation of a theology that is erroneous. Let the life of Christ be our only theology and religion. * Religion makes the heart better ; the life more like the model—Jesus ; with Self-denial as its touch-stone, and Virgin purity its standard, its goal is certainly the Angel spheres. H_ The Sacrament should impress us with the loving remembrance of Christ—wherein he, Community-like, ate even his last supper with the disciples at one com- mon table! H_ “ My servants will not ﬁght.” W’ould the military genii of our country or of any professedly Christian nation take an affront at the plainness of our speech- “ Christ knows you not? ” JUVENILE DEPARTMENT. Dialogue. ( Concluded.) Char.—-—I think that those who reside on the east side of the dwelling are favored, being in such close connection with the grove; and as we have learned that vegetation imbibes car- bon, and exhales the life—giving clement so necessary for our existence, I think that in the enjoyment of such salubriousi breezes which are wafted so frequently from the hillside, you ought to be remarkably healthy. Mar.—Health is the blessing We seek, and I am thankful that we are not bound by the fashions and customs of popular society, so that we cannot have free use of , the elements of existence—air, light and water; they are to be had without money or price, but no wealth can reclaim health once lost. C.—I often think, as I cast my eyes on the trees, particularly those recently. set out by Elder F. W. Evans, in the grove, in the door- yard and orchard, not forgetting our favorite Norway spruce, so nicely inclosed within a neat, octagonal picket—fence, how unselﬁshly all his labors seem to be performed for the general welfare, and to the end that our home may wear the aspect of comfort, both within and without, and become more attractive and beautiful. And have we not, in our older brethren and sisters, a practical demonstra- tion of the valued precept of Mother Ann Lee: “ To do all our work as though we had a thou- sand years to live, and yet as though we were to die to-morrow?” For we know that the worth of the greater part of their labors can never be realized by them in this life. S.—VVhat you have said is true; and I have thought many times, that each breeze that plays among the trees, and each sweet song- ster that warbles its early matin and evening lay in the future, would be as voices of thanks and blessing to him who reared while young, each tender tree that new forms this seques- tered spot. Martha.-—I have a few sentiments which I extracted from a book, a short time since; as they are quite applicable to our subject, I would like to read them. All.—(VVe will be pleased to listen). (Martha reads :) “ There is something noble, pure and simple, inga taste for the cul- tivation of forest trees. It argues, I think, a sweet and generous nature, to have a strong relish‘ for the beauties of vegetation, and a friendship for the hardy and glorious sons of the forest. There is a grandeur of thought connected with this part of rural economy. It is worthy of liberal, freeborn and aspiring men. He who plants an acorn, looks forward to future ages, and plants for posterity. Nothing ca.n be less selﬁsh than this. He cannot expect to sit in its shade and enjoy its shelter; but he exults in the idea, that the acorn which he has buried in the earth, shall grow up into a lofty pile, and shall keep on ﬂourishing and increasing, and beneﬁting mankind, long after he has ceased to tread his paternal ﬁeld.” S.——That is interesting, and as it refers more particularly to forest trees, I would now ask if evergreens shed their leaves every year. _ Martha.——The ﬁr and pine, and usually all cone-bearing and resinous trees shed their leaves annually; but as the new ones appear before the old ones decay, the tree is always green. Mary.—Leaves have not that brilliancy of color which ﬂowers have; but the beauty of the blossom (like most external beauty), fades’, while the less showy leaf remains fresh and verdant after the ﬂower has passed away. C.—Evergreens are beautiful, preserving I heir color throughout the year. heard that tiny ﬁr trees push their tardy growth above the perpetual snow that covers the northern regions. It must be a. lovely sight, when contrasted with the clean white snow. A.-—Indeed it must. A fact has occurred to my mind, which is worth mentioning here ; it is said, that under the wonderful, magnify- inig power of the microscope, the most perfect works of art appear quite imperfect; while in Nature’s productions, however magniﬁed, no blemish is found; her charms are ever supreme to the works of art. M .——Have any of you ever studied Botany .7 and what is the true signiﬁcation of the word 3 S.—Botany is that branch of natural history which treats of plants and their classiﬁcations. M ar.—-I commenced the study of botany when quite a child ; and found that it opened before my mind, a vast ﬁeld of interest. The endless variety of plants, with their multi- tudinous, beauteous forms, with leaves" of ﬁnest texture, all dyed in the sunlight’s varied hues, comprised a theme for study. It was said of Linnaeus (the Swedish botanist) that he was so thoroughly versed in the science, that he needed no time-piece to tell the hour of day—-he knew it by the opening and closing of ﬂowers, and the various changes that took place in his plants. S.——The folding up of leaves at particular periods, has been termed the sleep of plants. This may seem a singular term to be applied to plants, but a celebrated Botanist said: “ This folding up of leaves may be as useful to the vegetable constitution, as real sleep is to the animal.” Almost ‘every garden. contains some plants in which this phenomenon may be observed ; perhaps we have all noticed the Morning Glory, Four O’clock and Sensitive Plant. . C.—-The most common plants on Which we tread, may be teachers of wisdom to us; for, when closely examined, we ﬁnd in them that beauty of form and texture, which no artist could picture or poet describe. Neither can man with all his science, cause them to grow; then we look to the God of nature and ex- claim : “ To the beautiful order of thy works may we conform the order of our lives !” Mar.—Should we not delight in the works of God, and in the perfection of beauty shadowed forth in all created things ? Martha.——There is nothing in which the. goodness of God is more apparent, than in the inspiring ﬂood of beauty which is continually poured out upon’ the earth. Char.—-Among these beauties are ﬂowers. It is a pleasing thought to know, that every I have ‘ 24: THE SHAKER spot of earth is supplied with vegetation, ap- propriate and ornamental; scarcely a place is incapable of supporting vegetable life. In the desert, even, a few plants are found and its sandy waste is dotted, here and there, with date and palm trees. Thus, vegetation be- comes victorious. In springs, rivers, water- falls and seas, vegetable life accumulates, and on the margin of lakes and ponds, we often ﬁnd the most beautiful of all ﬂowers—the W'ater Lily. The shattered forests of the tropical climes are rich in fruits and ﬂowers. We roam through the massive woods and frequently meet ﬂowers wild and beautiful, growing without culture ; but lovely in them- selves, because they bespeak the innocence of their creation. It is sad to think that aught so fair and lovely should be despoiled, by havinga language attached to them that is corrupt, and by those who should possess feel- ings superior to what are bestowed on these emblems of virtue, which are designed to beautify and adorn the home of mankind. Too oft are they the medium, through which passions base and wild ﬁnd an outbreak. Too oft have they by the aid of man drawn woman from chastity, and her superior powers and intellectual faculties have been perverted by the signiﬁcation borne in these innocent fruits of nature. But let us turn from this sad picture, and glance at their variable life. A.— Their’s is surely a changeable one. In spring, we hail the green grass, which is soon interspersed with the bright Dandelions and Buttercups: ﬂowers wild and beautiful dot the woodland, hills and meadows, and bedeck the verdant vales, as sweet opening notes to the rich anthem which nature chants till har- vest time. Then summercomes, with its more ostentatious ﬂowers ; the Violet cannot endure the scorching heat, but passes with the balmy spring. Then We have the Rose and Pink and a variety of sweet ﬂowers, which grace our mother earth; but these cannot always last, for Autumn soon steps in, and with its chill— ing blast destroys the tender plants, and ﬂow- ers come into the passing scene. Mary——But in our hearts, ﬂowers can always grow; through Summer-’s scorching heat and VVinter’s icy reign, lovely ﬂowers may always thrive as emblems of a holy life in Christ. M.——Charlotte spoke of ﬂowers as being corrupted; ’tis true they have been used as a medium through which the sensuous could speak vile passions, yet ﬂowers of themselves are innocent. The testimony of eternal truth, falling on the ears of the carnally-minded, would supply material to feed the sensual ap- petites; while to the spiritually minded, it would be pure, living bread——s0mething for the immortal soul to feast upon. Flowers stand in a similar relation to mankind. The Worldly-minded too often use but to abuse them, but they never were intended for such a purpose; they can be, and are, by some, used for a higher object. To me they are the emblems of heavenly virtues, purity, meekness, innocence and love. These form and beautify the spiritual character. A.——In whatever light they may appear to us, or however strong may be our attachment to them, I hope that we will not for a moment plead for their cultivation to the greatest extent merely to gratify our natural taste. A few sweet-scented ﬂowers are not objection- able, but their culture in the extreme requires much time and attention, and would be the means of drawing the mind and feelings away from the more practical duties of life. “ Flow- ers must be redeemed from the blighting inﬂu- ence which pervades their sphere before they can be introduced among us to any marked profit.” M.——With your conclusions _I fully accord, and have been interested in, and ediﬁed by, our conversation. Martha.——I hope that none of us will be destitute of the adorning of heavenly virtue, for we are surrounded by inﬂuences which tend to elevate the mind, and bring the soul in rapport with the higher spheres. I It is our privilege, while young, to store the suscep- table garners of the mind with that knowl- edge which will endure forever. For it hath been wisely said, that “ Nothing seen is per- manent; from the dust atom to the world, all is mutable——passing away is the ' mournful farewell of the visible Universe.” (Closing hymn sung by the company.) HYMN or PRAISE. In harmony with nature’s voice, we’ll chant a hymn of praise, In our Creator’s works rejoice, and glory in his Ol1l‘vll(!l')&tS1'.tS are now attuned to sing the glories of the l’i'ais(eath the source from whence they sprin , Our life to bless and cheer, our life to bless an cheer. The blessings of this social feast, As a rich boon are given ; Among attractions not the least, To lead our souls to heaven. 0 happy home ! relation dear ! W'ith these our hearts are blest , Praise, love and thanks we render here, This hallowed day of rest. N. F., Mr. LEBANON. Selections. “An English journal, descanting on the various degrees of connubial bliss, states that the ofﬁcial record of the city of London for one year stands thus : Runaway husbands, - - - . . 2,348 “ wives, - - . - - - 1.132 Married parties legally divorced - - 4.175 “ “ living in open warfare - - 17,345 Married parties living in private misunder- standing - - - - - - - - 13,279 Married parties living mutually indifferent, 55,340 “ " regarded as comfortable, - 3,175 “ “ nearly happy. - - - 127 “ “ perfectly happy, - - - 13 CoMMENrs.—Where offspring is the result of such wedlock, may we look from it an im- provement upon the conditions under which it was conceived, born and bred .7 London is not an exception to the general conditions of married life. Something is wrong, or we should have better fruits from this idolized, worldly institution.‘ Would it not be well for religious organiza- tions to discuss the questions: “Is marriage a Christian institution?” “How does mar- riage compare with that life, eternal in the heavens, now practiced by the children of the resurrection ?” “ Is marriage engaged in by members of the churches for its holiness, or for certain selﬁsh considerations?” “Are virgins like, or unlike, the company standing with the Lamb on Mt. Zion?” Is marriage eternal, or what shall we do with it to in- herit a life that is eternal P” ”“ Wlioso seeks to save the generative life and rela- tions, will lose theeternal life of Christ ; whoso loses that, has an assurance of this. * “I do not believe the Shakers live as purely as they profess,” said a visitor. “Why not?” asked an at- tendant. “Because I don’t think I could live so my- self! ” VVe have an earthly nature and a spiritual nature ; this is eternal, that is transient ; one prompts to the propagation of the race of earthly beings ; the other urges the propriety of resurrecting the inclinations, to live as the Angels do—the life of “ the children of the resurrection.” A Virgin life is one of the constituents of eternal life; it needs not to change when entering Angel- hood. Not so with the carnal lives of husbands and Wives. As there are no husbands, nor wives, nor sexual lusts in Christ, they cannot be Christians, nor in the enjoyment of eternal life, until they exchange the earthly and transient, for the heavenly and un- changeable life. * NOTES:—THE SHAKER is hailed with joy by the United Societies. We issued 7,000 of January num- ber ; think we shall need to use the plates again. Subscriptions come in rapidly. Our object is to dis- seminate truth far and near. Think it will be What we most desire it should be—a home educator. It is proposed to send free, one copy for every club of ﬁve. Samples at six cents, including postage. Exchanges made with the Press, where desirable. Any person addressing the Board of Editors, or Resident Editor, requesting answers, will enclose stamp. United Soci- eties, let us hear from you; send us your best thoughts, from three lines to a column oflines. G. A. L., Res. Ed. THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITIHN 01*‘ ACCORDING TO RELIGION, SHAKER THEOLOGY. FIFTY CENTS, PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. G. A. LOMAS, Resident Editor, Shakers, Albany, N. Y. MEMBERS OF SOCIETY ﬂppoinled to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. Elder F. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, Albany, N. Y. “ C. E. Sears, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. “ Simon Mabec, VVest Pittsfield, Mass. “ Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Conn., Shakers. “ Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. “ Wm. Leonard, Shakers. “ John Whiteley, Shirley Village, Middlesex 00., Mass. . “ Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. “ Henry Cummings, Enﬁeld, Grafton Co., N. H. “ John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. “ Alonzo Gilman, VVest Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Me., Shakers. O. C. Hampton, Union Village, Warren Co., 0., Shakers. “ Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. “ Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers, Ohio. “ George Runyon, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. “ J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. “ J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. Groton Junction, Mass., PUBLICATIONS. Christ’s First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church - - - - - ~ 1 00 Compendium of Shakerism - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests - - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0103
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 04 (April 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-04-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “ I WILL SHAKE ALL NATIoNs, AND THE nnsmn on ALL NATIoNs SHALL coun ; AND I WILL FILL THIS nousn WITH GLORY, sA1TII THE Lonn.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprie. Von. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY, N. Y., APRIL, 1871. No. 4. Shaker Communities. Are they Charitable Institutions for the Body, or for the Soul ? So long as Shakers were known to the religious world as a band of superstitious fanatics, who condemned marriage per se, and danced on the Sabbath, it treated them with ridicule as law-breakers, or with silent contempt. When inﬂuential and highly educated men and women belonging to the popular de- nominations of Christian sects,_.Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Method- ists, etc.,—and not a small company of the priests, “were obedient unto the faith,” and put it into practical operation by (where it involved no dereliction of duty, or violation of contractspreviously formed), sundering all the ties that bound them to “this vain, this wicked...
Show more“ I WILL SHAKE ALL NATIoNs, AND THE nnsmn on ALL NATIoNs SHALL coun ; AND I WILL FILL THIS nousn WITH GLORY, sA1TII THE Lonn.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprie. Von. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY, N. Y., APRIL, 1871. No. 4. Shaker Communities. Are they Charitable Institutions for the Body, or for the Soul ? So long as Shakers were known to the religious world as a band of superstitious fanatics, who condemned marriage per se, and danced on the Sabbath, it treated them with ridicule as law-breakers, or with silent contempt. When inﬂuential and highly educated men and women belonging to the popular de- nominations of Christian sects,_.Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Method- ists, etc.,—and not a small company of the priests, “were obedient unto the faith,” and put it into practical operation by (where it involved no dereliction of duty, or violation of contractspreviously formed), sundering all the ties that bound them to “this vain, this wicked, world ”-— those of consanguinity, property, and mar- riage; and these founded societies in dif- ferent States, they ascended above eon- tempt, and "‘a great persecution arose.” At ﬁrst, this took the form of personal abuse, and often destruction of property combined with it. Their motives were impugned, and impossible crimes laid to the charge of Ann Lee, and the leaders generally. All manner of evil was said, and often sworn to as truth, until the pow- ers of the Judiciary were evoked to prove these imaginary crimes, and punish the authors and perpetrators thereof. Law- suits were instituted to prevent the hold- ing of property “in common,” and thus break up these society-deranging estab- lishments. In process of time “ these Shakers hav- ing‘ become reputedly rich, are considered also to have become respectable, and are voted 3. place among the Christian sects; a prominent position being assigned to them in the theological world, no less than that of having ‘modiﬁed the religious thought of America.”’——Di:z:on. A new danger besets them; that of popularity, and the “ friendship of the world.” Living necessarily in large houses, to accommodate large numbers, the wonder- ing public, not considering how many “families of ﬁve ” reside and have their homes in one of these great unitary dwel- lings, which to them look so grand and so much like some individual rich man’s man- sion, speak one to another: “ Are not these Shakers always neat and clean in personal appearance? Is there not ever the glow of content upon their countenances, indica- tive of well-supplied physical wants-, and comfortable, social conditions? Do they ever run in debt? or do any of their mem- bers ever end their days in a poor-house? Certainly they must be rich; for what constitutes riches, if it be not a permanent and ample supply of food, raiment, and lodging? ” “ And now that we, the discriminating public, have ridiculed, contemned, calum- niated, lawsuited-—persecuted—these Shak- ers into an American institution, that will neither run out at our bidding, nor be anything but respectable on its own basis; and now, that they have become an object of general curiosity to the political econ- omist, the socialist, the co-operative peo- ple; to the moralist, with his “ social evil” problems; to the advocates of VVoman’s Rights, who desire a mixed government of male and female elements, and that taxation and representation should be united; to physiologists, who seek to save bodies first, and souls afterwards, if they need it; to Spiritualists and theologians generally, and to religionists in particular, who behold with awe and reverence the re-incarnation of the Christ Spii-it——a veri- table Primitive Church-—furnishing to the European tourists much of the staple of their books of travel in the United States of America ;—the momentous ques- tion arises, what are these Shakers for? and to what use can we put their success- ful industrial establishments? ” And the answer comes back spontaneously from all people who “have the poor always with them,”—turn them into eleemosynary in- stitutions ll they will, as such, exactly meet the wants of the age in which we live. The aged and inﬁrm, who belong to wealthy families; the merchant who has failed in business, and lost hope in the struggle for pre-eminence ; the lone widow, the orphan children, and poor relatives, generally, who are a burden to their friends; how convenient it will be to have them taken into these charitable, public institutions, where they will receive more than parental and ﬁlial care from the religious, the good, the Christian people “called Shakers.” Herc follows a specimen letter of the many we receive, omitting the name and place of the writer: “FEB. 8, 1871. “F. VV. Evans—-Can you extend the hospi- talities of your society to a married woman and her two girls, aged seven and three years? The mother is educated, intelli- gent, and virtuous; but is sick with con- sumption, and cannot do much work. Her husband is so lazy, that he has compelled his sick wife to chop wood, and make the garden; and consequently, as they have no means, she is about to be consigned to the charities of the town. “If you are able to oifer a home to this unfortunate woman, without separating her from her children, please address, with particulars——Mrs. ; and like- ,7 a wise notify me. -———— To this appealing letter we returned the following answer, characteristic of our usual replies to such applications: “MOUNT LEBANoN,Feb.12,1871. “Respected Friend—The case which you present is not one that we could do anything with, for several reasons: First: This is not, as many suppose, primarily, an eleemosynary institution for the relief of physical, human suffering. There are in- stitutions especially devoted to that object, and they are above all praise. Second: The woman is not legally divorced, and we do not part man and wife [nor ‘forbid to marry ’]: the law of the land must do that. Third: This is strictly a religious order; a home for the souls of seekers after righteousness,—those who a.re not, and cannot be, satisﬁed with the righteous- ness of worldly Christians, who ‘ marry and give in marriage,’ hold private property, and ‘ﬁght’ about it and their husbands and wives. “ 1Ve seek the best (physiologically) the world can produce—those who are ‘com- pelled,’ by the wants of their souls—to come, with the intent and hope of making them better. VVe can take a limited num- ber of children of good parentage, who have had a moral and religious training, when old enough to understand somewhat ._ ___: 26 THE SHAKER. of our faith and principles—twelve years and upwards,—preferring them at eighteen or twenty-one, when they are free men and women. Respectfully, “ F. W. EVANS.” This answer did not give entire satisfac- tion to the parties applying, as wit.ness the following extract from a subsequent letter: “Imagine Jesus at table, and refusing food to a woman because she had a hus- band, and not suffering her little children to come unto him because their mother had not a divorce. I am aware that there are charitable institutions ‘beyond praise,’ but not beyond censure. They do not furnish country air, fruits, cleanliness, employment and home, such as are to a considerable degree found in your socie- ties; and, thinking of the future of the little ones, I thought they would be safest among you. Let me give you this advice, as a lady: Be charitable outside of your- selves; build a workshop, a hospital, a school-house for non-Shakers, and thus show the world that you can spend money for the good of otlzers. “I am, very sincerely, the well-wisher of you and your associates.” Now we know what the Shakers are for. Each society is to build workshops, and manage them so that the poor can earn a living, and the public be relieved of the English question, “What shall we do with the pauper baby?” and with the pauper question generally; “for, even in famine and captivity, they (the public) will still get children,” without any rational fore- thought or insight into their future. Each society is to build a hospital, and nurse the victims of small waists, thin shoes, idiotic, ball-room head-gear, and fashionable air, food and medicines, that the public conscience may be at ease, knowing how the simple Shakers are liv- ing upon, and suffering for, their sins. And next, they may erect and oilicer school-houses for non-Shakers the more readily, as now we are likely to have “A Law for the Protection of Minors,” term- ed by the Tribune, “ Norton’s Inquisitorial Bill.” And this will amply protect such children from any mistaken ministration on the part of the Shakers, of their hereti- cal, unorthodox, and unpopular theology, or even of their religion, “which is con- trary to all nature; ” but of whose tempo- ral “fruits” the public are desirous enough to possess themselves. This is what the Shakers are for: to provide a home for the body, if they do not prove to be so ignorant, and "such “obstinate heretics,” that they cannot comprehend their mission in and to “the World ” who “marry and give in marriage.” It appears, upon record, that Jesus did rebuke those who followed him, not be- cause of his 1niracles—his soul ministra- tions——but for the incidental “ leaves and ﬁshes ” with which he had fed their bodies. And the “little children ” who constitute heaven, are (in their characteristics of in- nocence and dependent love of truth) such as have become little children. “Except ye receive the kingdom (which in the lat- ter day was to be established upon earth) as little children ” just born into the natural world receive external things from a natural mother, and then successively from a father, and brothers, and sisters, they should in nowise enter therein; and not that little children (who are simply used as a ﬁgure) literally are subjects of a heavenly order, until as men, and zoo- men, they, by their own free agency, travel into it. If “the kingdom” were composed of “little children,” physically, they would outgrow the “ kingdom ” when they come to be men and women. The suggestion of the above letter writer to the Shakers is not a bad one, at all. It is questionable whether we ourselves have not become somewhat mixed in our ' ideas of charity, confounding the body and soul together; the Lord’s poor, and “ the world’s ” poor. There is no law against love and good Works—against charity to the poor and afflicted of this world. But, what Believ- ers are able and willing to do for non- Shakers,” let it not be done by “taking them into the number ” who, from Chris- tian faith, “have all things common,” and thereby attempt to make Shakers of them. But rather, build work-shops, wash-houses, hospitals, and school-houses, or help to support those that are already built. “Hanging a man” is not a worse use to put him to, than converting a Shaker Society into a world’s charitable institu- tion for the relief of the poor. It would be a desecration, and a double wrong; ﬁrst, to the real Shakers, by compelling them to associate with paupers, and tlzen to the poor, by “compelling” them to become Shakers (if that were possible) in order to have a home for their bodies. Let there be a separation. 7 Lost! somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours; no reward is offered, as the loser knows they are gone forever! E. MYRICK. 1. “If all should be Shakers, the World would run out! 7’ We want none to be Shakers, who copulate only, to. prevent that terrible eatastrophe—“ running the world out.” 2. Ye consumptive patients! abandon your diseased animal food—-live on natural food. GEO. VVILCOX. While the young in Zion are anxious to spread true testimony, let them not forget that a practical work- ing-out of the beautiful theory is just now, more than ever, needful. Jesus’ teachings were plainly mani- fested in common life ; and the conviction of mankind in our day must be, by our efforts, in the same homely manner. N. A. BRIGGS. POETICAL. Morning. A bri;:lite1- day is dawning, Blest Zion, upon Thee! I see the rays ofmorning, New gilding spire and tree- I see the cloud-capped mountain Take on a golden hue, As up the eastern horizon The sun appears in view. Arise.’ and shake thy garments ; Thy night ofrest is gone! Arrayed in thine adornmcnts, Come forth to meet the morn! Hail, with a joyful greeting The Messenger of Light ! Before whose face retreating, Are seen the shades ofnight. Come, now, and view the landscapes So splendid to behold ; \Vhile Light, as with a mantle, drapes The Earth in limpid gold. See. little, pearly drops ofdew All sparkling with delight ; Soon these will vanish from our view, As have the shades of night. For, as the Sun ascendeth higher, The gilded Glory fades ; While radiant Light, like heat from fire, The shadiest nook invades. All who Within the forest stand, Are shielded from bright rays ; While those who cultivate the land, Work in the Snnis broad blaze. So, well improve these golden hours E‘er they have passed away ; On wings, the Morning upward soars To full Meridian day. “ Arise and work,” is duty’s call ; Come forth, the vineyard prune ; And renovate the broken wall Upon tlxeground now strewn. For, all the beasts that roam the ﬁelds, Can enter when they please ; And whatsoever fruit it yields, Appropriate with ease. Let more security ensure The product of this soil, Although the lziborers are fewer Who in the vineyard toil. A. E. P., Bar. Soliloquy. Oh, my sweet gospel treasure! Oh, my soul-cheering treasure! All the cross, and burdens vanish At the sight of my reward! See ! my Fathers and my Mothers! All my Sisters and my Brothers! Can the world, with all its glory, Produce one like unto these? DOROTHY. Items. “ I want to be an Angel,” is sung by the multitudes with much sincerity; but the reality of the ideal is not desirable, with the majority, while carnal gratiﬁ- cations are possible. People too commonly live as though they despised the life of an Angel, nor would they be “ children of the Resurrection ” if they could. “ Do you enjoy yourself? ” asked a scoﬂing inquirer ofBr. Daniel Moseley. “Nay,” said Daniel, “I crucify myself, and enjoy Christ! ” The inauguration of Christianity called upon all to forsake the carnal lives of father, mother, wife, hus- band ; and property, such as houses and lands. Has the gospel ofChrist changed hands ? The Shakers do not worship Ann Lee ; never did. They do not worship Jesus ; never did. Jesus was a man—a Jew ; Ann was a woman—a Gentile ; they were both baptized with the Christ Spirit--this Spirit we worship. it THE SHAKER. 2'7 What is Inﬁdelity and Who Are Inﬁdels. Growth is a law of soul, as really as of the corporeal frame. All truth is, in its nature, adapted to progress. All genuine revelations from God to man are conformable to this law. It follows that all religious creeds, that do not admit of continuous and eternal revelations of the purposes and will of God to man, are of human, instead of divine origin. It only re- quires reseanches into the plan of human pro- gress in divine grace, set forth in the Christian Bible, to perceive the truth that God’s requi- sitions and laws to man in one dispensation of His grace and truth to humanity, are super- seded, or transcended, by succeeding dispen- sations of the revelation of His will to man. A primary necessity with correspondents, in order to be rightly understood, is a mutual acceptance of the meaning of words and phrases; a want of this precaution has been the cause of ﬁerce verbal contentions among those whose real faith and convictions—whose actual life conditions-—-were not dissimilar, except in a limited degree. Since the preﬁx in, negatives words to which it is applied, we are ﬁrst to look for the signi- ﬁcation of “ﬁdelity” and to its application to God, Christ, and ‘Religion. As used in the- ology, ﬁdelity means faithfulness to the testi- monies of a Creed of religious faith. Hence, inﬁdelity is unfaithfulness to such testimonies. Thus, since we have opposition of religious Creeds in what is called Christendom, in this sense, we might have Christian Inﬁdels, as well as heathen Inﬁdels. And, to illustrate: The Creed of Universalism is Inﬁdel to the Creed of Episcopalianism, since the former teaches the eventual salvation of all mankind, While the latter teaches that only an elected few are to be saved, and the remainder are subjects of damnation! Equally Inﬁdel to these two is the Christian faith “par excel- lence,” taught by Jesus and his disciples: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” “ Whose will, let him partake of the waters of life freely.” “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper ; but he that confesseth and forsaketh them, shall find mercy.” That is, all who come to Christ, confess and forsake sin, will be saved ! But, as the creeds of all religions claim God as the “Rock of Ages” on which to build their faith, so Inﬁdelity, in a wider and more extended. sense, refers to a disbelief in God. Yet, as there are “ Gods many, and Lords many,” and the character and attributes con- stituting the Being which religious people call God, vary so widely in the Creedal faith of different denominations called Christian, that, the ﬁrst subject to be decided in order to de- termine the question what constitutes an Inﬁdel to the Christian’s God, is to determine what are the true attributes and true character of the Christian’s God. As God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and the illimitable Universe of Universes, is inﬁnite in power and wisdom, so is God un- known to, and incomprehensible by man, ex- cept by revelation ; and the God, or the char- acter of God, revealed to the human family of one era of the world’s history, is widely dif- ferent from that revealed in a subsequent age. And, further, the God revealed to one nation, or class of human beings, differs widely from the God revealed to another class of human beings in the some era of the world’s history. Thus, one class of believers in God are in- ﬁdel to another class of believers in God! But, this inﬁdelity is easily seen to be sim- ply relalive inﬁdelity ; that is, the creed of one class of believers in God is Inﬁdel to the creed of another class, leaving the question still open, “lVhat is positive Inﬁdelity to God 9” The lowest, most primitive idea of God known to man, is that of Fetichism, so called: God, as known to the Africans ; consisting of some vast object of wonder or power—as vast rocks, huge mountains, immense forests, boundless waters, etc. Their symbolical repre- sentations of gods, their idols, are in human form, because this form exists intuitively in the human mind as the highest manifestation of God’s creative power. The ﬁrst act of rea- son in man is to personify incomprehensibili- ties, so as to obtain a clear idea of such exist- ing facts. The second idea of God, manifest to human- ity in the ascending scale, was God as a vast, abstract, incomprehensible power, possessing all the prominent passions of man, and the cause of the same ; or God, in the character of a vast Producer, Provider, Originator of all things, ministering to man’s necessities, or pandering to his desires, good or evil. In this character man attempts to present God to the imagination of his fellow man, in any. form embodying what he most needs or desires——as a rare plant, a strong element; as winds, waters, ﬁre, etc. This era of the knowledge of God embraces the Grecian Mythologies. For the most part, God is now represented as a Positive or Gen- erative power, or Being; and the idolatrous symbol was a BULL; an OuB—as the SUN, the MO0N—Egrpt’s OSIRIS, which, with other Egyptian Idols, was meant to represent whatever acts upon passive matter, for the good of man; or, the active energy of life.’ This character of God was also represented by the Grecians’ JUPITER, the most powerful of the heathen gods, and the Origin of every- thing, good or evil—- the ACTIVE PowEn. It was also represented by the Musselman’s ALLAH, the Platonist’s ALL Goon, the The- ist’s DEITY, and the N orman’s ODIN. The third idea, or ﬁrst revelation of God, is religious--— G01) as a Ruler of mankind .’ yet, incomprehensible to man. This is the ﬁrst character of God, designated by Moses to the Jews; that is, I. AM. A jealous, re- vengeful, passionate, repenting, changeful and ﬁtful Sovereign, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children to the fourth gene- ration : giving the Jewish law to Moses. This idea of God might have been spontaneously suggested by the Want of government in the human family upon earth. The fourth idea of God, or the second reve- lation of GOD, was made to Moses, and re- vealed God as a Parentage, under the Hebrew name of “ J EHOVAH,” literally meaning “HE, Sun.” This name was so sacred to the Jews, that they only pronounced it in a Whisper, evidently because the time had not yet arrived for the comprehension and declaration of the character of God as a dual Being, Male and Female. The ﬁfth idea, or third revelation of GOD, is a IIEAVENLY FATHER; a Being, but a spir- itual Being; the Creator of all things, and dispenser of blessings to man ; the establisher of law, and obedience thereto was LIFE; diso- bedience, DEATH; a kind, loving, merciful Pa- rent; careful for the good of His creatures; in character the opposite of the Mosaic I AM. The law of the I AM God, as revealed to M0- ses, was that of revenge; “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth ;” “ VVhoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” This God was in possession of the passions of humanity! Joshua said: “ Our God is a jealous God.” The law of the lleavenly Father GOD, as re- vealed by Jesus Christ was : “ Do good to all, and good only !” “ Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time,” said Jesus, “ thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy; but I say unto you, love your enemies; bless them that curse you ; do good to them that despitefully use you’ and persecute you.” The sixth idea, or fourth revelation of GOD, is God as a Dual, Spiritual Parentage, FATHER AND MOTHER GOD; kind, merciful, loving and forgiving; not only creating, but nursing, de- veloping and happifying their creatures. Thus, it is clearly seen, that a human intel- ligence, who, in any of the former eras of these manifestations of God, had a revelation of God more full and true, in advance of the day in which he lived, would be considered Inﬁdel to the God, or God Character, previously known. Also, the believer in the former char- acter of God, would be inﬁdel to him. It has been said, and We believe truly, that “The God of the Jews was not the God of the Universe;” and, we might truly add, not the God of the Christians! This, to some understandings, may appear inﬁdel; but, viewed in its true light, the kind of inﬁdelity which is the fruit of a new, a true, and in- creasing revelation of the knowledge of God, is a virtue, and not an evil! It is not difﬁcult to see that the charac- ter of God revealed to Moses, in the name of I .4111, was different from that revealed in the name of Jehovah; neither is it dif-‘ ticult to perceive that the character of God revealed in the name of a Heavenly Father only, is different from that of God as a Heavenly Father and Zhlother. Hence, the actual truth, when fully revealed, is, that there is but one true God, consisting of Male and and Female constituents or principles, form- ing one complete Being, as God, A HEAVENLY FATHER and MOTHER, the primary source and Creator of all existences ; yet, this God, in this Character, has not been generally revealed to man; but God has been gradually revealed to man, and understood by man in different characters; and, in this light, “The God of Moses was not the God of the Universe.” The God of the Universe, the HEAVENLY FATHER and MOTHER, GOD, was not fully revealed until 28 THE SHAKER. the second coming ofChrist, in the female. This is the dispensation of the revelation of God to man, wherein “the mystery of God should be ﬁnished.”—Rev. X. Tth. Then, and not till then, was to be revealed the Jllother in God, or, the Motherhood of God! She was hinted at by Moses, and alluded to by Jesus, but the time for the revelation was when Christ should make the second appearance, through “One like unto the Son of Jlfan.” Nothing is more like unto a Son of lllan than a daughter of man! And thus, as the Son Jesus, revealed the FATHER, GoD, so the daughter, Ann, “the VVORD,” revealed the Morunn, Goo! Here it should be observed, lest the understanding be falsely impressed, that, aside from the clothing of the spiritual baptism, the Mediator of this revelation, the embodiment of this Sonship, is not an Ora- cle of God ; is not authority. Had Jesus, as a man, been inﬁdel to the duties of his high calling, as the ﬁrst-born Son of God, the Father would have rejected him, and called in another Medium in his stead, to reveal the Fatherhood of God. In like manner there is no absolute impor- tance, in the abstract, attachable to the person of Ann Lee, that she should become the ﬁrst— born daughter of God—the Oracle to reveal the Mother in God, and the Bridal help-meet of the “Second Adam,” “The Lord from Heaven,” “ a quickening Spirit.” Had She been inﬁdel to her high calling into Christ’s death and resurrection, another female would have been called who would be ﬁlial, and by her sufferings and obedience, reveal the .Moth- erhood, the Duality of God, and of his Christ! Many Creeds of religion teach that Jesus is God; that the Holy Ghost is God, and that the Father alone is God; but, Whence is this idea. of God derived? VVhen we search for the divinely inspired Mediator between God and man, to ﬁnd who was the chosen Oracle to reveal this character of God to man, we fail to ﬁnd such an agency. It had no exist- ence until near the close of the ﬁfth century of the Christian Era; hence, it was no revela- tion of God through Jesus Christ; but its birth seems to have originated in a Popish Council. Now, if Jesus Christ is the Oracular law- giver, and divinely-anointed teacher of the Church of Christ on earth, and he never taught that Jesus is God, but did, habitually call himself “the Son of Man,” as if to wisely forestall all legendary and mythological as- sumptions of his Divinity, is it not Inﬁdelity to the Christian religion to declare that Jesus Christ is God’! His immediate disciples, the twelve Apostles, dared not do it; they de- clared him to be the Christ of God, after he had been clothed upon by the baptism of the Holy Ghost! In answer to the question which Jesus put to them, saying, “Whom say ye that I am ?” Simon Peter answered, “ Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God !” Jesus blessed him, and told him ﬂesh and blood had not revealed it to him, but “ My Father which is in Heaven.” Again, where is the Oracle who was Divinely authorized to declare that the Holy Ghost is God? We have no record of such an Oracle! The idea was not taught by Jesus, neither by his apostles, nor by the Primitive Christian Church.‘ From all of the teachings and refer- ences of Jesus and his Apostles concerning the Holy Ghost, the only idea taught is, that the Holy Ghost was a godly spirit, which the fol- lowers of Christ should receive and be ﬁlled with, and be covered, by a baptism, once spoken of as a “ lVitness for Christ ;” “ The Comforter,” an Anointing resting on Jesus (see Acts x. 38), and on his disciples, as is manifest by multitudinous passages of Scrip- ture. The Apostles spoke of the “Holy Ghost” also, as a Servant or Jllessenger of God .' Paul speaks of the “love of God shed in your hearts by the Holy Ghost.” Peter speaks of the “Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven ;” but, no where, in Scripture, is the Holy Ghost called God! No history, then, gives us any account of a revelation of God proclaiming to us the Holy Ghost as God .' but simply a ministering spirit ! The Iloly Ghost, God, like unto the Jesus, God, had its birth in the Anti—Christian Church, after the falling away of the Primi- tive Christian Church! It was a god-child of the Catholic Priesthood; and, may it not be truly said, born of folly? And, when the true GOD (fleavenly Father and Zllother) is revealed to all humanity, will not a Triune God be considered by all humanity as Inﬁdel-' ity? The Christian revelation of the true God will bear stating; bear canvassing; bear inves- tigation; and, God of Mercy be praised, that, however inﬁdelic it may appear to some pro- fessors of the Christian faith, there are, at the present day, even in Rome, “Prelates who do not believe that the Pope is the authoritative and infallible interpreter of God.” But free- dom of belief, liberty of conscience, is inﬁdel to Popcry! And, in these days, Jllodern Italy, the Governor of the Catholic VVorld, has be- come somewhat Inﬁdel to Popery in the pro- portion of 4-0, 835, to 46. But, we are not to consider this question as Catholics, nor as Pro- testants, but as men and Christians! Descending from Inﬁdelity to God, we are more particularly to inquire after Inﬁdelity to Christianity; that is, the doctrines of Christ, and those opposed thereto; Inﬁdelity to the Christian Church! In reference to Christ’s doctrines, as the standard for Christianity, we have the Gospel Testimony in a nutshell, the fulﬁlling of the law! Jesus said, “I came not to destroy the law (of Moses), but to fulﬁll it.” The great precept of the fulﬁllment of the law, is “love to God and Zllan.” VVe then have the fruits of love: First, Purity; second, Peace; third, Mercy; fourth, God—like, or good fruits. Goodness embraces Charity and forgiveness; these all sum up in newness of life, in every- thing! “He that sat on the throne said, ‘ Behold, I make all things new.”’ This was Jesus Christ. New Heavens, JVew Earth, a new man, a new woman, a new relation and association of the sexes, for a new, a heavenly purpose—-to people the new Creation of God by regeneration (which is synonomous with the resurrection of the soul), not by genera- tion! For, said Jesus, “ My Kingdom is not of this world;” “ They that are counted. worthy to obtain that world, the heavenly resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are (in this present time and world) as the Angels of God in Heaven.” Generation is the basic law of this world, and the Oracle for its perpetuity. Of genera- tion we have the selﬁshness of man; mine and thine. Of this is derived the impurities and lusts of humanity, both of the ﬂesh and of the mind! Of these lusts come ambition, fraud, strife, war and woe. “ Whence come wars and ﬁghtings? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your mem- bers ? ’ ’—--James. Thus, then, an Angel life, a. Celibate life of virgin purity, in thought, word and deed, is the Christ life! The Christian character is set forth by the Apostle as follows: First pure, then peaceable, full of mercy and good fruits; a life Christ lived out—not merely be- lievedin ; this is Christianity. Jesus said, “ Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven! This is ﬁdelity to Christianity! Hence, Inﬁdelity to Christianity consists in merely believing in Christian precepts, and trusting in the merits of Jesus for Salvation; for, said Christ, “ Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me to give to every one ac- cording as his works shall be.” .Notto crown him with Salvation according to the righteous- ness of Jesus; this is Inﬁdelity to Christian- ity! Judged then, by Jesus Christ, all are inﬁdels to Christianity who trust in the merits of Jesus for Salvation, instead of living as Jesus lived !! V Descending in our inquiries from the Chris- -tian’s God and the Christian Testimony, to to the Christian Church, to inquire what is Inﬁdelity and who are Inﬁdels, we are ﬁrst to consider, that a Ileauenly Father and Mother, God, presumes a family; Who are their chil- dren? for no Being, not even God, can be a Father or Mother without children! Hence, we have Sons and Daughters of God, consti- tuting the Christian Church, the Kingdom of God. The Governmental Order of this Christ Church is theoretically Patriarchal, the Su- preme Authority being the Hettvenly Father and Mother, God! The secondary, derivative, or mediatorial authority, Elder Brethren and Elder Sisters! Jesus was the Elder Brother of Christ’s Church-—“ The ﬁrst-born among many Brethren,” as set forth by Paul. Ann (the Shakers believe) was the ﬁrst-born among many Sisters; if not, then a ﬁrst-born Daughter is yet to come! But if the Son revealed the Father, should not the Daughter be the legitimate revelator of the Mother? The Church of Christ, then, being consti- tuted of a heavenly family of Brethren and Sisters, living in the innocent and dependent capacity of the Children. Qf God (not of hus- bands and wives), in a pure, celibate, angelic state, as live the Angels of Heaven, and gov- erned, in an immediate capacity, by the Heav- enly Father and Zllother, God, but in a ]lIedi- ate Capacity, by the Older (Elder) Brethren and Sisters of the family, and practicing the .. .—..-.-....-.... .—v-r,- THE SHAKER. 29 life-teachings and examples of Jesus Christ, is the Christian Church.’ And, thus to live, is ﬁdelity to the Church, “par eascellcnce .'” Then, may not Infidelity to the Church con- sist: First, in ignoring the Father and Moth- er, God, as the leading authority of the Chris- tian Church, and substituting a Triune God, of three males, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, all equal in agc—that is, the Son as old as his Father, and older than his Mother (Mary), yet, having two Mothers, the Holy Ghost Mother being the same a.ge as her Son? And secondly, as Mediatorial authority to lead this Church, substituting Popes and Cardinals, all of the male sex, as infallible vicegerents of this Trinitarian, Masculine God. And, thirdly, for the Church laity, instead of simple Breth- ren and Sisters, of grace, and of the regene- ration, whose souls are resurrected from the death of sin and made immortal, substituting husbands and wives—men and women living in natural generation—who propose to be carnally resurrected, to continue to propagate an earthly, sensual race, to be forever mortal, only simply clothed by a frock of immor- tality. In a ﬁnancial capacity, Fidelity to the Church of Christ on earth, is, for its Church members to have all things in common, as Brethren and Sisters of the Parents’ house- hold! May not Inﬁdelity be claiming personal and selﬁsh property for their generated offspring, mine and thine—practicing wars and blood- shed by Which to settle controversies, instead of loving and forgiving? The language of Fidelity to the Christian Church is, “ Come unto me all ye that weary and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The language of Inﬁdelity is: Believe or be damned, and be damned if you do believe, un- less elected by God to be saved, let you be Sinner or Saint. Fidelity teaches election to Heaven ; Salva- tion to all souls, indiscriminately, who will confess and repent of all sin, whether in this world or in the next. Prospectively considered, Fidelity to Christ’s Church consists in forsaking the world, for the purpose of living a holy life——that is, a life set apart for a godly use; coming unto Zion, Christ’s Church, with a motive to build up the Cause of God in the earth; consecrating temporal substance, time, talents, and spirit to work for God, and work, too, with a will. Inﬁdelity to Christ’s Church prospectively, is to gather to the Church because of poverty, “for the loaves and ﬁshes,” because of inabil- ity through sickness, idleness or negligence to make a home in the world; hence, ready to unite with any movement that promises ease, plenty and individual freedom from earthly cares! Nay, these may not build the temple of the living God on earth! these may not reform society and “make all things new.” These are Infidels to the Church! ! The problem of a new life for humanity, and a new order of society, of heavenly type, must be solved by those in possession of living faith, unﬂinching devotion, indomitable per- severance, and undying energy, and who con- secrate their lives and treasures to God for- ever. G. B. AVERY, Mt. Lebanon, N. Y. BIOGRAPHICAL. Teachings of Ann Lee. M ultitudes visited Mother Ann at her home, and made many inquiries. She was ever ready and willing to give information when inquiries came from the honest seeker after truth. From the following remarks may be learned the answers she made to some of the questions asked her; the questions are generally omitted as unnecessary. 1. Joseph Meacham, on meet- ing with her, asked : “ How is it, you being a woman, teach in the Church, and even claim to be the head of it ? ” “ The order of God in the natural creation, is a ﬁgure of the same in the Spiritual: As in nature, it requires a man and woman to pro- duce children, the man being first, and the woman second in the government of the family ; and the children must be subject to their parents, and the woman subject to her hus- band, who is jirst ; and when the man is gone, the right of government belongs, not to the children, but to the woman; such is the case in the family of Christ.” 2. “ The Gospel is the greatest of treasures; be faithful unto it. Put your hands to work, and give your hearts to God. Beware of covetousness, which is the sin of witchcraft. If you have anything to spare, give it to the poor.” 3. “Be faithful unto gospel duty; be neat and industrious; keep your family’s clothes clean and decently repaired. See that your house is kept clean, and your food prepared in good order; that when the brethren come from their hard work, they may bless you, and eat their food with thankfulness, and be able to praise God in the beauty of holiness. W'a.tch and be careful; don’t speak harshly, nor cast reflections upon them; let your words be few and seasoned with grace.” 4. “ You must put away your covetousness, your lust and your filthiness, and be prepared for the increase of the Gospel. Remember the poor and needy; the widow and the father-less ; deal your bread to the hungry, and your clothes to the naked. Your natures will say, ‘let them work for them; ’ but Christ sayeth not so. Remember the cries of those in need and in trouble, that when you are in trouble, God will hear your cries.” 5. “Little children are innocent; and they should be kept so. If brought up in innocence and simplicity they will receive good as easily as evil. Do not blame them for every little fault; teach them obedience, let your word be law. Never speak to them in a passion; it will put devils into them. “Then I was a child, my mind was taken up with the things of God, so that I saw heavenly visions, instead of triﬂing with toys. /Do all your work as though you had a thousand years to live; and as though you were going to die to—morrow.” 6. “Once my feet walked in forbidden paths; my hands handled unclean things, and my eyes saw nothing of God aright. Now, my feet are in the narrow way; my eyes see, my ears hear, and my hands handle the word of God. You can never enter the kingdom of God with hard feeling towards any. God is love; and if you love God, you will love one another.” 7. “ The work of God in this day is an in- ward, spiritual work. It is not so great in outward appearance as it was in past Dispen- sations; therefore, souls must be very careful how they treat this Gospel. Such as ﬁnally reject the testimony thereof in this world, will not have another day equal to this; nor any, until an offer of the Gospel shall have been made to the entire race of Adam. The Gospel will increase; small at first, but will yet be embraced by hundreds and thousands. It will increase, until the covering is taken off, that now covers the rottenness of anti—christ’s foundation; then, souls that are bound in sin will call to the rocks and the mountains to cover them.” 8. “ Those who obeyed the Gospel on Earth, taking up their cross as Jesus did, stand with him on Mount Zion; these are in the first resurrection ; while those wlto wait to receive and obey the truth in their disembodied states, will not be so glorious, but constitute the second fruits.” 9. “ All souls will have an oﬁer of this Gos- pel, either in this world or the world of spirits. You have your day now, prize it. By obedi- ence you can progress out of your loss, and become over—comers as Jesus was; but souls in the World of spirits make their progress through sufferings, passing from prison to prison, until they find the mercy of God! ” VVe purpose a continuation of Ann Lee’s sayings; they may sound ancient; they may seem superstitious; but obedience to them has ever Wrought greater purity of character, and created an appetite for works of righteous- ness——-a progress from a little faith unto greater faithfulness. * The Religion of the Revolutionary Fathers. In early childhood——almost in infancy- when the mind is plastic and conﬁding, I went to meeting. The meeting was in a barn, still standing, near the 4-5th parallel, on the High- gate side of the line, between what was then Elder Thomas Best’s and Colonel Lake’s. The preacher, in demonstrating the neces- sity for deferring the ﬁnal judgment to some remote period, used the following argument: “ It cannot be ascertained, at death, the amount of good or evil that a man has done. For in- stance, there is Father lVesley: it may take thousands of years to determine the amount of good he has done. On the other hand, there is Tom Paine : it may take as many thousand years to calculate the vast amount of evil he has done.” Of course, I took it for granted, that Father \Vesley, if not the best, was next to the best, man that ever was; and that Tom Paine must rank next to a certain unmentionable charac- ter, of which or whom the preacher made frequent mention. First impressions, especially in theology, re- main, till driven out by sternest logic. While still a child, of some ten or twelve summers, my father, from one of his frequent visits to his brother, Captain John Prentiss, of Rutland, Vermont, brought home a book, entitled “ The Jejfersonade ; or Democracy Unveiled: by Dr. Caustic.” This I read. ‘3O THE SHAKER. Jefferson, in his “ Notes on Virginia,” Writ- ten while Governor of Virginia, said: “ It mat- ters not to me, whether my neighbor believes in one God, or twenty. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg.” Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independ- ence, and it was unanimously adopted by the Continental Congress, with slight variations. VVhen something over twenty years of age, a. gentleman from Albany gave me a pamphlet purporting to have been written by Thomas Paine. How dared I to read it? I did read it, and then threw it into the ﬁre. The pamphlet, written in America, was ad- dressed to the masses of Europe, with the in- tent of lifting them from the thraldom of superstition, that they might begin to be men. He dealt in great plainness of speech, with what he seemed to regard as the unwarranted as- sumptions of the clergy; told, at considerable length, what he did not believe. Then he said, “Perhaps some of my readers would like to know what I do believe. That there was such a. man as Jesus of Nazareth I verily believe; and that he was the most perfect example of righteousness this world, ever saw, I also be- lieve. And, if they who profess to be his fol- lowers would pay more attention to following his example, and make less noise about it, I believe it would be inﬁnitely better for the world of mankind.” Some years later, I met with my father, who was deeply religious and an admirer of Father Wesley. I ventured to question him on what seemed to me an incongruity in my early-im- bibed notions of Tom Paine, as compared with the sentiments expressed in the pamphlet. I said to him, “Do you know anything of Thomas Paine?” He said, “ Yes; I was well acquainted with him. He was Washington’s private secretary; and, while I was in the Life Guards, I used to see him every day.” “ VVell,” said I, “ what can you say of him 3” This was the ﬁrst time I had ever moved the question. I regarded it as a delicate sub- ject; and my father seemed so to regard it. After some deliberation, he said : “VVell, to do him justice, if I say anything, I must say he was the best man in America. He did more to achieve our independence than any other man, except Washington. And I don’t know that I do right to make that ex- ception. For when, after repeated disasters, we were retreating south, pursued by a well- fed, well-clad, superior force (it was the dark- est time of the war), VVashington said to his Secretary: ‘Paine, what shall we do? This army is the only hope of the country. Here we are, in dead of winter, unclothed, unfed unshod; the men leave the prints of their bare and bleeding feet on the frozen ground; their term of enlistment is about to expire; and I have not the heart, under such circumstances, to ask them to re-enlist. VVhat can we do?’ “ After solemnly reviewing the situation, Paine replied, ‘ If you will form the men into . a hollow square, around that stump. we’ll see" what can be done.’ The men were formed; Paine mounted the stump All eyes were upon him. The men had often seen him, but had seldom heard him; for he was a man of few words. Paine carefully and solemnly surveyed his audience. There was silence audible. He spoke. His words were highly charged with electric ﬁre. Thus he began: “ ‘ This is the time to try men’s souls! The summer soldier and rotten-hearted villain that now deserts his country’s cause deserves the curses of his fellow—citizens.’ “ When his oration was ended, the soldiers, almost to a man, re—enlisted. They had re- ceived Paine’s inspiration. A new soul was in them. They assaulted and carried the Hes- sian camp. The tide of war was turned, and success followed success. Cornwallis surren- dered; the war ended; the men, unpaid, went home to provide for their little ones as best they could; and Paine’s reputation, like that of public benefactors in general, was com- mitted to the tender mercies of —not the wicked, of course not—the clergy.” “Independence is my happiness; I view things as they are, without regard to place or person. My country is the world; my reli- gion, to do good.”—Paine. O. P. P ain Talks—1\To. 1. There is a deep, religious agitation at Work in the hearts of the people. It is not mani- fested by bubbling, church revivals, that too commonly burst, and leave the individual the worse for its spirit—intoxication ; but it is deep- ly, silently working; silently anxious for, and demanding more of soul—satisfaction. Church theologies are becoming stale, and the Divine life is looked for, yearned for, demanded. “What shall I do to be saved?” stirs the bosoms of thousands who cannot ﬁnd satisfac- tory answers in their temples of worship. Popular preachers are learning that popular preaching may pamper the intellect, but does not feed the hungry soul; and that it is im- possible to impart the love and life of Christ to their ﬂocks, when they neither have that love, nor live that life. The crisis is coming. ’l‘he Life—of—Christ testimony has taken issue with the death, and Calvary-blood theory! Life versus Death ! There is much soul—distress in the land; this is the result of disobedience to heavenly light—“ this is the condemnation.” God hears the earnest seeker after truth, and an- swers ; but God's answer speaks of self-denial, of the physical cross; of the higher life and the Angel character, and sweetly says, “ Come up hither! ” and the representative soul responds, “Lord! (for the present) excuse me.” God does excuse; the soul's trouble increases; it feels that it is excused from God’s help, by refusing to obey God’s will. “Help, help!” cries the soul; “LIVE, LIVE ! ” cries the Spirit. And yet, how hard is the lesson, “live unto God and die unto every sinful practice! ” Scores of individuals are writing us, predict- ing the coming of the Spirit of Christ the second time. ° Scores of periodicals are just issuing, declar- ing the same fact; to all of which we say, ﬂmen. The Spirit of Christ has appeared once, through Jesus, and already to some the second time; and we learn from its testimony, to live apart from sexual and sensual lusts; We learn from it that the virgin character is alone countenanced in the heavens; we learn from it, that private property belongs to the earthly lifc——to the generative sphere, and has no part with Christ nor with Christians. It _ teaches us that War is devilish, and those who practice it, the servants of the devil! Plain, but true. The soul wants truth; it will be satis- ﬁed with nothing else. ‘V e have taken issue with the whole world of‘ sin; we have stripped off the mask that covers, with ﬁne words and ‘ ‘splendid appearances, with false philosophy and uncln--istian teaching, the distresses of the soul, that rob it of eternal life; and we accept the consequences. Theorise, twist with dexterous legerdemain the Scriptures; transform the real life of Jesus into what his teachings may have meant; we accept his life and love of goodness as our pat- tern and hope of Salvation, knowing full well, that as fast as the second Appearing manifests itself to souls, and its teachings are accepted, others will do likewise. VVe have large respect for the sincere; but we have no respect for those who sing the praise of Jesus, but hate him in their lives, knowing what they do. VVe cannot daub, with hopes of salvation, the carnal mind nor body, whose loves and practices are at enmity with Christ’s life. Let us, before accepting any religious sympathy from our professedly Christian leaders, demand that they strictly follow the true leader—-—Christ ; and were this rule generally adopted, we would see the sheep’s—clothing thrown off extensively, and the hood-winks dropping from the eyes of the multitudes. Let us have Christ’s life as a pattern——can we do better? and what in our lives, does not harmonize with it, let us confess the same to be unchristian, and we, so far from being Christians. “ Open confession is good for the soul ; ” and to this point of decision is the pre- sent religious agitation bringing souls—to a. self-examination. Many there are who have arrived at the conviction (in foro cons cienlice) that their lives have not been Christian; and rather than do the work, and live the life of a Christian, they have renounced the name——F. E. Abbott-like-——and declare we are not, and will not be Christians. This is the more honorable course, rather than live and die in sin; exulting in all the practices, or even in some of them that are opposites to Christ’s life, and yet hope to be saved from the penal- ties of sins we will not relinquish while it is in our power to engage in them. * The following is Prof. Bush’s rendering of Zach. 4: 7 1- “MI ATTAUH HAUR GAUDOL LIPNA ZERUBBABEL LEMXSHOR HOTSIA EBEN ROSH TESHUA ANN ANN LEE.” Let us look into the next world : Bodily habits con- tracted here, will have no medium there ; and hence we will be necessitated to nnlearn there, wrongs we have indulged in here. Is it not a wise choice, to en- gage in nothing here, but what we can hereafter? The most useless of tasks is to save another from conditions we are lost in ourselves. Jesus first over- came the Whole world of evil, before he encouraged his disciples to follow him. We are called to be’ Saviours ; let us first seek salvation, not from penalties‘ but from practices of sin ; then can we help our fel- lows out of the pit. Parents should think, while teaching their children to confess to. them their wrongs, that the gospel of Christ demands of Parents, confession unto apostles. * THE STEAIEER. 81 The Church of Christ. What is the church of Christ? The apos- tolic term, which is rendered church in our English version of the New Testament, is ecclesia, which signifies, sometimes, a collec- tion of believers in Christ in any one place, and sometimes, all the believers, wherever located. In ancient Athens, the term was applied, commonly, to the assembly of citizens for the transaction of public business. The ecclesia included only the freemen of Athens; hence, by a very appropriate transfer, it was applied to the Assembly of Christians, who were all regarded as one, and entitled to equal privileges in the church. In respect to all essential rights, no association of persons has ever ex- isted in which was greater equality than in the church of the apostles’ day. In this respect, there was neither Greek nor Barbarian, bond nor free. The Greek word, ecclesia, with Slight changes, has been retained by the Latin nations of Europe. In the Italian language, it is chiesa; in the Spanish, iglesia, and in the French, eglise. But the Teutonic or Germanic nations have taken their term for the church from another Greek word, lcuriakon, an adjec- tive, which, taken with the agreeing noun, soma, signiﬁes the Lord’s body, and, with demo, the Lord’s house. Hence, we ﬁnd in the German language, Icilrche, in the Danish and Scotch, kirke and kirk, and in the English, church. The Apostle Paul, who, in common with most Asiatic writers, had a fondness for the use of metaphors, sometimes represented Christians in their collective capacity as an ediﬁce. “That thou mayest know how to conduct thyself in the house of God,” he wrote to Timothy; then, in immediate juxtaposition, he used three other similar yet appropriate ﬁgures, “which is the ecclesia or assembly of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” Again, in addressing Christians, he said, “ Ye are the temple of the living God.” But his favorite ﬁgure was that of the human body, which probably as aptly illustrates the real, living church of Christ as any ﬁgure that can beemployed. “God has appointed him (Christ), pre-eminently, the head of the eccle- sia, which is his body, the fullness of him who ﬁlls all things among all.” “ For as the body is one, yet has many members, and all the members of this one body, though many, are but one body, so also is Cl1rist”—that is, Jesus Christ and his church,———“for by one Spirit we have all been baptized into one body.” The ﬁgure has been so amply enlarged by the apostle that one can hardly fail to compre- hend its full force. He has presented to the imagination a living, active being, composed of various parts, yet all actuated by an impulse; the head devising what is deemed needful for the entire body, and each part acting in har- mony with the whole, so that whatever is done by each, contributes equally to the welfare of every other. That which characterizes this being, is the spirit with which it is animated. Its fulness or completeness is from the Inﬁnite Being who ﬁlls all things. That Being is un- P changeably the same——Eternal Love. The body that is actuated and governed by Love, evinces it by harmonious action within itself—— there can be no division among its various parls. nothing. The ﬁgure means this, or it means Hence, the propriety of these words of the apostle,——‘‘ If any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” By no effort of the imagination can we include in such a body opposing elements which array the members against each other. \Ve may use other ﬁgures, if we choose, to express the various opposing elements that exist among mankind; but how they can be admitted as appropriate to a. body moving under the im- pulse of divine love, and governed by it in all its actions, it would be difficult to tell. Not only must the apostle’s rhetoric be changed, but human reason must be reconstructed. Let it be granted that human nature has been such in all ages, that wars and contentions have been unavoidable, yet, why not assign to these their true origin? If human passions are stronger than God’s grace in Christ, yet it was never admitted by the apostle. The Christian’s course has been represented by Paul as a warfare, it is true, yet such a war‘- fare as is not inconsistent with the ﬁgure of a united body, a well-constructed and beautiful mansion, or a. temple which is the glory of the whole earth. So he has represented it as a race, but only such a race, as that in which the prize——the crown of immortal glory-—may be gained by every one who enters upon the race-course. Not so with those who ran in the Grecian stadium. It may be asked, “ Are you aiming to prove, from a mere ﬁgure of speech, that the mighty hosts which have come down to our times through the ages, with the standard of the cross conspicuously elevated above every bat- tallion, every division, and every army, do not really constitute the body of Christ?” The ﬁgure certainly proves this, if these hosts have all along been contending with each other with “carnal weapons of warfare ” as Well as with “the sharp sword that goeth out of their mouth,” instead of using those weapons that are “mighty through God” to destroy sin in themselves. That the history of the past as well as the present condition of the nations show this, every one may see who casts but a cursory glance over both. The “ God of all peace ” as well as of love, rules the body of Christ. It requires no great force of logic to show what must be the result of such rule. But if the ﬁgure of speech is not clear enough, then let us take simpler language equally apostolic with the ﬁgure. “VVhosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” “ Let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” “He laid down his life for us, we ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren.” These words are explicit enough to show that those who make war upon each other, instead of loving and laying down their lives for each other, do not consti- tute the body of Christ, whatever else they may be. These words of Jesus Christ to his disciples, though expressed in a ﬁgure, are sufficiently clear to show of What characters only his church is composed :-—“I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. If a man abideth not in me, he is cast forth as a branch that is withered.” The life of the vine and its branches, as well as that of every plant in the vegetable kingdom, is maintained only so long as they adhere to that which supplies the vivifying sap. Christ abides in God, His life is the life of God—eternal love——and those who are united to him also partake of the same life. There is no other alternative,——either make the tree good and its fruit good, or the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt. The church of Christ, then, consists of those persons, wherever they may be, who are so united to him that his life, which is the highest element of life in the universe——divine love- pervades their being and has a controlling in- ﬂuence upon their entire conduct. In this sense the oft—repeated expression, “there is no salvation out of the Church,” is true. There is nothing else that will save one, in the broad- est and highest signiﬁcation of salvation, but that which unites him to the divine life, and when he possesses this within himself, he is an integral part of that body in which is the divine completeness. Christ’s church has also been represented as a kingdom. This was the prevailing form of government in his‘ ‘day, and that under which the Messiah’s government was pre- ﬁgured by the Jewish prophets, so that it was almost a matter of course that he used such an illustration. But in our democratic age, the ﬁgure is less agreeable to the taste than some others. It conveys an idea of too much pomp and splendor. There is too great a distance between ruler and subject. We can scarcely get a glimpse of the meek and lowly Jesus amid the glitter and show of palaces, thrones, and countless attendants, and through the smoke of the adulatory in- cense. However attractive and venerable it has become by reason of its existence of ages, yet, “Come from the four winds, 0 breath,” breathe upon and dissolve forever this scene of oriental enchantment! VVe like better the gentle shepherd leading his flock through verdant pastures and by the side of still waters. If We wished to indulge the feeling of reverence, then we would enter the magniﬁcent temple, where God dwells and walks among his people. But the ﬁgure of the family admits, if not as great a variety and splendor as that of the kingdom, yet more naturalness, more attractiveness to the soul in its gentler and kindlier moods, and is really more in accordance with the spirit of divine love and tenderness that dwelt in Christ. Male and female are each representative of distinctive features or principles in Deity, and as these are one in essence and co—equal in oﬁice in the Divine Being? he are they to be, and should be regarded in Christ or in the church. In the family of Christ are Father and Mother. They have their offspring, those who have been born into the higher life of divine love. These are brothers and sisters, possessing equal rights and privileges. There are, in this family, no rights of primogeniture. There is 82 TI€IE no oldest son to claim all the dignities and in- herit the estate, while the rest are dismissed to the plebeian ranks. There is reciprocal love between parents and children and between brothers and sisters, for love is the element of their existence. They have unlimited wealth-- “durable riches of righteousness; ” “ all things are theirs, whether things present or things to come,” and they are to remain theirs through- out “the age of ages.” VVM. II. BUSSELL. To-dig Youth-—No. 1. By the good providences of God you have a privilege to see and hear of, and practice Chris- tian principles. There are many persons edu- cated in schools and colleges, and called Chris- tians, who preach and pray, and yet have not begun to practice the first Christian principles; indeed, have not yet begun to practice the first just, natural principles——that is, to get an honest living with their own hands. Your opportunities to become truly learned, greatly exceed theirs; and if you receive the principles and truths of the gospel—the glad tidings that Christ and Mother brought—and put them into practice in your every day life, in all your goings forth, you will become truly learned, and ﬁnally, you will be assured that in Christ Jesus is hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. My object in writing to you is not to open up any branch of knowledge, but to point where some of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge may be found. The Old Testament is a wonderful book—it contains a. system of law adapted to the natural man, which exceeds all other systems of human law; and portraiture of human character, so truthful, and applicable to human conditions, that even after the lapse of three thousand years, they are still fresh, new and instructive. In the above respects, the Bible is without a parallel among books—it is above and beyond them all. And of the New Testament, the parables alone are caskets of knowledge, to say nothing of the great leading principles which underlie Christianity——lived out by the Saviour and opened in his teachings. What can be more comprehensive, or fuller of sim- plicity than Christ’s interview with the young man who came to him, and kneeling, asked, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? In a few words he conveyed to the young man a knowledge of the work necessary to be done as a preparation to entering his kingdom—to keep the Moral Law—that is, do nothing to injure others, and give his all and himself to God; then he would be in a condition to learn of Jesus. The reading of the parables as presented in the Scriptures, is very much like unto a rich man having a casket of precious things, who comes along and shows you a nice box; he opens it, and every little compartment is stored with jewels; he shuts it up and takes it away with him, and you are none the richer for What you have seen. So of the sayings of Jesus; you may read them, and get an outside understanding of them, but if you do not practice, nor square your life by them, you will not be any richer in heavenly things. Jesus spake from the life he lived; hence, he was able to say, “the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life.” Now, if you will make his life your life, so in your degree, you will be able also to speak from your life. But if you fail to do so——have not the life of Christ in you, you will be able to speak of natural things only, for out of the contents ofthe heart the mouth speakcth. It may be observed here, that all human beings have in them a two-fold life—an inward or spiritual life, and an outward animal life. Be- fore I close, I will say a few words on this subject. In the meantime, I will open one of the caskets. On the outside is written the following words: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things which have been kept hid from the foundation of the world”-— the natural man. Parable ﬁrst: A sower went forth to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the way side and was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured them. And some fell on stony places, and forthwith the seed sprung up because there was but lit- tle earth, and when the sun shone, the plants withered. And some fell among thorns, and the plants were choked. And some fell on good ground, and brought forth, some one de- gree of fruit, and others, a greater measure. W’hen Jesus had opened this casket, he said, “he that hath ears to hear let him hear.” He then shut the casket up and took it away with him, and left the multitude to think about what might be the meaning of the parable. N o doubt, you would like to know the reason why Jesus did not explain it to them. He would have been well pleased to have done so, but he considered their state of preparation to hear his word and wisdom, forbade commit- ting further knowledge to their keeping. And with pleasure he turned to his disciples and said, “blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” “Hear ye therefore the parable of the sewer.” And he began to open to them its interior meaning, which you may read by turning to Luke 8: 5. But before he began, he said, “ Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see what you see, and hear what you hear, and have not.” To the language used by Jesus in ex- plaining the ﬁrst part of the parable, I would draw your attention. “ Those by the wayside are they who hear; then eometh the devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts.” Now, how did the devil manage to take the good word out of their hearts? They gave way to lightness——“the fowls of the air devoured it.” Here we see, that giving way to lightness in sacred things, is an act of the Devil. Young persons are greatly exposed to receive from others, this spirit of lightness; to many, it is just as natural to be light as it is to breathe, or in other words, they willingly work the work of the Devil, and minister the same spirit oflightness to others, and think nothing about it; and that is the way the Devil wishes his work to be done; do it, and never think about it afterwards. Christ, knowing how exposed souls are, said, “ Wlatch and pray that ye enter not into temptation,” that is, into the spirit of the Evil One. The Devil has the easiest access to young people through the avenue of light- ness; they think there is no great harm in it, and will actually sing the songs of Zion in a vain, careless sense. When a soldier is placed on guard, it is his duty to watch and see that no enemy goes over the line or gets a foothold in the camp. So of all the thoughts that enter your heads; except you gather and keep the gift of self-ex- amination, you will find that the Devil will enter your premises every day, and instead of you being a guard to keep out evil, you_ will be an avenue to receive and admit it. D. F. If the people called Shakers, do not exhibit, with an increase, before all men, the faith, spirit, doctrines and principles of the primitive, Christizm Church, together with power over evil in their own souls, let that decide the whole question. WVM. LEONARD, EDITOR’S NOTES :—--Attention is called to the ad- dress of Wm. Leonard, “A3/81‘, 1lIass.," changed from “ Groton ; ” also, a change in “ Mt. Morris ” agency. Individuals sending articles for publication will regard the spirit of the “ Circular ” issued to Believers. The Editor’s drawer, though nearly full of good matter, will hold some more. We want a wider sphere of contributions ; some think we are acting on too contracted a sca1e—-the reason is, we have not vet heard from the East nor ‘West, but in small degree: Remember, THE SHAKER is the organ of the Ul'I'r1~:n SOCIETIES. We want short articles ; full of pith. testimony, and true to life. VVe repeat: we will send one copy extra for ﬁve s~ubsoribe1-s. G, A, L_ THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITIUN OF RELIGION, ACCORDING TO SHAKER THEOLOGY. FIFTY CENTS, PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. G. A. Loans, Resident Editor, Shakers, Albany, N. Y. MEMBERS or soomrv ﬂppoinled to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. Elder F. W’. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issaehar Bates. Shakers, Albany. N. Y. “ Peter H. Long, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. “ Simon Malice. VV'est Pittsﬁeld, Mass. “ Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Conn., Shakers. ‘ “ Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. “ VVm. Leonard, Ayer, Mass, Shakers. “ John Whiteley, Shirley Village, Middlesex Co., Mass. “ Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. “ Henry Cummings. Enlield, Grafton Co., N. H. “ John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers. York Co., Me. “ Alonzo Gilman, West Gloucester, Cumberland Co., ‘\le.,. Shakers. “ O. C. Hampton, Union Village, VVarren Co., 0., Shakers. “ Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. “ Stephen Hall, Dayton, Shakers, Ohio. . “ George Runyon, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. “ J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. “ J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. PUBLICATIONS. Christ’s First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 % Millennial Church - - - - - - 1 00 Compendium ofShake1-ism - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests ~ - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0104
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 05 (May 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-05-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “ I WILL snxxr. ALL NATIONS, AND run nssxnn or ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL arms nous): wrrn GLORY, SAITII THE Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., MAY, 1871. No. 5. Right and Light. J The First Cause of all causes we call God; by descending terms, Father and Mother; Being and VVill; Truth and Love; I am and I do; Spirit and Matter; Religion and Science. The religious in- stinct is inherent in the human race. A recognition of God is the fountain of good- ness, and source of truth. The desire to be and do good, is religion. The desire to know how, why, and when to be good, is theology. Spiritualism is the soul of all systems of philosophy. The rudest of races have their philoso- phical theologicol cosmogony; and some of the most civilized and cultured of the races have not been exceeded, in absurdity, by the most savage, in their theories of creation, the being and attributes of God, the nat...
Show more“ I WILL snxxr. ALL NATIONS, AND run nssxnn or ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL arms nous): wrrn GLORY, SAITII THE Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., MAY, 1871. No. 5. Right and Light. J The First Cause of all causes we call God; by descending terms, Father and Mother; Being and VVill; Truth and Love; I am and I do; Spirit and Matter; Religion and Science. The religious in- stinct is inherent in the human race. A recognition of God is the fountain of good- ness, and source of truth. The desire to be and do good, is religion. The desire to know how, why, and when to be good, is theology. Spiritualism is the soul of all systems of philosophy. The rudest of races have their philoso- phical theologicol cosmogony; and some of the most civilized and cultured of the races have not been exceeded, in absurdity, by the most savage, in their theories of creation, the being and attributes of God, the nature and destructibility of matter, etc. This is under the general law, that “light is sown for the righteous—the doers of right ;i and darkness of the under- standing for the violators of law, physi- ological and spiritual.” ' It is a historical and present fact, that a highly-civilized nation, like the French, are, to a large extent, seeking happiness through the exercise of the same passions, and by the excitement of the same senses, that it is sought for by the Hottentots. “In Paris, pleasure, or more properly, sensuality, appears to be carried to its highest possible summit.”—Swedenborg. The nobility and serfs of Russia, if not equally sensual, in the use of their absorb- ing and procreating powers, the balance is in favor of the serfs, who, by poverty and the necessities of existence, are kept in a more simple physiological condition; their pas- sions not being inﬂamed by abnormal ex- citants, in drink and food; while the nobles are as full-fed horses, each one neighing after his neighbor's wife—-the abuse of nutrition and reproduction. It has come to pass, that while in the wisdom of God, “the world by wisdom ”—— material and sensual the0logy——“ knew not .God,” it has pleased God, by the foolish- ness of preaching, and the ministration of the Spirit of God, acting upon the same senses that evil acts upon, has saved them that believe, from the indulgence of glut- ; worlds ! tony and drunkenness, and from fruitless sexuality, which has been more emphati- cally the work of darkness, whether by the married or unmarried, as it is_ the most concentrated form of human evil. The priests of N ature——Pythagoras, Di- ogenes, Plato, Seneca, and the Stoics, en- joined self-control, and, to a great extent, self-denial of the senses, as did the Ava- ters, like Confucius, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus; they touched each other. The material worlds! the spiritual VVhy, is it not all spirit, in dif- ferent stages of unfoldment, from the stand-point of Deity? All spirit, more or less externalized, down to the earths, which are ﬁrst, gas and ether, then granite, rock and diamond. All matter, more or less attenuated, sublimated, etherealized, up to the lowest spirit sphere, and thence up to the heaven of heavens. Jesus inherited physiological and moral conditions derived from a long line of self-controlling, self-denying ancestry, con- creted into an organized body like the Essenes, who, throughout the Jewish his- tory, did not eat animal food; nor did they ﬁght or marry. This gave Jesus an ad- vantage over all other human beings, Adam and Eve not excepted: because their innocence and goodness was that of the baby-hood of the race. As a child, his aspirations were upward, towards the seventh heaven. A comparatively-few of his countrymen and women, of the Jews, approximated the high religious status to which he attained. It should be distinctly remarked, that it was in goodness, rather than in intellec- tuality—in religion rather than in theol- ogy, that he excelled. “Whence hath this man this knowledge, seeing he know- eth not letters," plainly indicates that he belonged to the order of human beings who were called to externalize God on this earth in their lives, rather than in deep, great, and grand philosophical and scien- tiﬁc theories, explanatory of the mysteries of creation to the human understanding. His work was to make human beings good and true lovers of God, and companions of angels ; as social beings, to learn them to love one another with a pure heart, fervently; to pray, rather than study. u.¢..a- This was religion; and “none but a good man can be a true philosopher.” When Paul came up, who was also of a good philosophical and intellectual stock, and had been educated in all the learning and culture of the Jews, he taught theol- ogy——the science of the religion of Jesus. It was an effort of the human mind to comprehend the height and depth, and length and breadth of the work of human redemption, and to systematize and explain it logically. During the ﬁrst three centuries, the religious organizations having all things common, created by the holy Christ Spirits acting upon the emotions and aﬁ'ec- tions, and operating in the hearts of the lovers of righteousness (not mere lovers of knowledge), stood the test of internal cor- ruption and outward persecution ; but they ﬁnally succumbed, and a Gentile bishop led the Jerusalem Pentecostal Church: a fit type of the “ man of sin,” who was to inhabit the most holy temples in the Gen- tile world for twelve hundred and sixty years of educational preparation of its heathen people to receive the Christ of God in the female Order, through a female Messiah, as the Jews had received him in the male order through J esus-——a male and female Christ manifested through male and female human beings. During the reign of Anti-ehrist, Spirit- ualism operated to create a mixture of elements. Hebrew, Christian, Heathen, Mahommedan, and everything in heaven" and on earth——all the spheres being con- fusedly blended together-——the relation of the natural and spiritual worlds was abnormal, represented by three unclean spirits, like frogs (amphibious) proceeding out of the mouth of the dragon—heathen- ism; of the beast--the Catholic, Protest- ant, and Greek Churches; and of the false prophet-—the heretics and witnesses: false miracles, false relics, false confessions and absolutions; false piety, which thought killing was doing God’ service ; false marri- ages, doctrines of devils; false everything. Whoredom, adultery, fornication, are terms plentifully used by divine religion- ists, to represent the commingled wicked- ness of these so-called Christian Churches. “Babylon the Great, the Mother of Har- .Q. C H 34: THE SHAKER. lot.s—Whores ; ” by which obnoxious terms, the reforming daughters of the Roman and Greek Churches, and State Governments, are not inaptly designated. As in the days of Jesus, the Essenes—- the ancient Quakers; and the Sadducees— the ancient Materialists-—€tlone escaped his denunciations; so, in our own time, the modern Essenes—-true Quakers; and the modern Sadducees, organized into the American Governments, in our day, of all others, go the most unrebuked by the “seed of the woman”-—the followers of Ann Lee,——who are bruising, in them- selves, the head of the sensual powers and passions of Christendom, the lust of sexual indulgence; the nude statue and black crooks of this “ Murder of the Innocents” age, which has legalized monopoly of the life elements; thus making war and the destruction of embryonic human beings a society necessity, in order to hold in check population, which continually presses on the means of subsistence in cities, towns, and villages. It is said, that the private character of Swedenborg, from youth to manhood, was altogether irreproachable. He opened the portals of the invisible world, which the Protestants had closed, ‘to keep wicked men and women from coming back to them, as they had been in the habit of doing under the Catholic rule; so that they were like people who shut the door against their enemies, by refusing to admit even their friends, the angels. Never was the simile of the ladder which Jacob saw, so appropriately illus- trated as in the case of this seer. "He was‘ a believer and follower of Jesus in his ﬁrst advent upon earth. He began, as Assessor of Mines in Sweden, and went up the ladder of the sciences to the great First Cause. Like his ante-type, John the Baptist, he lived a celibate life. “He complains that his scientiﬁc labors were not appreciated ; that his productions are looked down upon, by a number of political blockheads, as mere scholastic exercises, which ought to stand back, while their presumptuous ﬁnesse and in- trigues step forward. He said the begin- ning of nature was identical with the beginning of geometry.” “He discovered the science of crystal- lography, or law of crystals. Every metal has particles of its own, of a peculiar form; the same being true of all mundane sub- stances, from the rocks to the most etheral- ized elements. The various shapes of these atomic crystals cause the different tastes, smells, and feelings which attach to them. He appears to have labored to apprehend the origin and arrangement of matter in the earths, and also, to appre- hend the nature and condition of the in- telligent atoms which compose their social organizations, and are the inner worlds, so far as he found entrance thereinto. He aﬂirmed that the object of his mission was, to ‘ dcm onstrate immortality to the natural senses:’ that is, Spiritualism. His pre- vailing idea was, that external objects were the product of internal powers and and forces.” 7 The Social Evil. “ And now, also, the axe is laid unto the root of the trees.” John, 3:10. , It was the peculiar mission of the first founders of Shakerism to bear testimony against the “social evil,” in all its phases, legal and illegal, and in all its relations and bearings in human life; hence, it was reported that they condemned marriage; but this was a mistake—thcy only condemned the abuses and evils cloaked under it, holding it to be exclu- sively a civil right, and not a Christian insti- tution. And when it was incorporated into the Christian system, in the outer court, in the Apostles’ days, it was considered more of an innovation than from divine authority— hence, it was said: “Brethren, the time is short that remaineth; that both they that have wives shall be as though they had none.” America is destined to take the lead in all the reforms of the 19th century. Through the power of the invisible, operating through a visiblelagency, great and mighty things have been accomplished, and still greater things re- main to be met and overcome. Seeming im- possibilities belong to the past and not to the present age of the World. Various opinions are entertained by reformers as to the best manner of disposing of the “social evil.” It seems to be a principle inherent in human nature, and been handed down from time imme- xnorial; like some old chronic hereditary dis- ease, hard to eradicate, and too delicate a sub- ject for public discussion. Yet, reformers say something must be done, and this false delicacy must be laid aside before science can be brought to bear successfully against it. True! But, we say, the reason why reformers in the past have not been able to reform the world, is, because they have not been suffi- ciently radical on this point. Now we propose to begin at the root of human depravity, and put away the cause, that the effect may cease. “ And now, also, the axe is laid unto the root of the trees,” etc. Man in scripture is com- pared to trees and known by his fruit; and it may be that we have all, in the past, eaten apples very improperly. Trees are in the plural and implies both sexes, because both sexes are involved in the social evil. Perhaps there is no sentiment more com- mon concerning its origin, which is implied, if not expressed, than the fact, that had it not been for the transgression of Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, We should not have been found in this ﬁx; or, in other words, the social evil would never have existed. The cause of the “social evil,” and the root of human depravity is traced back to Adam’s transgression; to a lawless principle, which was never essential to the reproduction of the human race—-the excessive indulgence of which, is the great problem now up for discussion. In scripture language, the principle is called by different names; “lust,” “ﬂesh,” “old man,” “forbidden fruit,” “man of sin,” “ son of per- dition,” “carnal mind,” “devil,” “dragon,” “evil,” “ which the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming,” etc. (2 Thes. 2:8.) Which are all synonymous in their signiﬁcation. But the great question is, what shall we do with it? This is the problem :— How shall we eradicate it without destroying the human race? Science cannot do it; if it could, it would have been done long ago. Philosophy cannot do it; it has tried, and proved a failure. But science and philosophy, combined with practical obedience to law and order, can do it; it has been done. What has been done can be done again. It is of so long standing and so incorporated into the very heart and core of humanity, that we admit the diﬂiculty. The principle in and of itself is law1ess—is not subject to any law, neither indeed can be, when left uncontrolled by a superior and higher power. The princi- ple is bad——it is wicked in the extreme !——it has been tried before the High Court of Heaven, and found guilty of the most abominable crimes; the earth, itself, bearing witness against it; and the sentence pronounced by the Court and Judge of all the earth, is, death. It is doomed to cruciﬁxion, by a daily cross and self-denial; that is, total abstinence; starv- ing it to death by inches, until the principle is entirely eradicated from the soul. This can be done without extinguishing the human race, by recognizing two orders or people, viz.: the natural order, and the spiritual order—— separate and distinct. These two orders com- prise the whole family of man, and admit of different grades and degrees. Each order is governed by its own laws. Two great problems have been solved in the United States within the last century, viz.: the actual practice of a “virgin life,” and “community of interest,” without the aid of nunneries and monasteries; where the sexes enjoy social and daily intercourse, and preserve their chastity from year to year, and have for the last seventy—ﬁve years. They prefer keep- ing the higher law. This was so new and Strange at ﬁrst, that the world did not believe that this profession of life could be actually produced and carried out. Elder F. W. Evans, of Mt. Lebanon, N. Y., one of the most progressive minds of the age, in a letter to North Union, dated May 25th, 1868, said: “ For the ﬁrst fifty years, the ques- tion of there being a resurrection order on the earth, and quietly living pure, celibate lives, was always met with the scoffs and jeers of the world, with the charge that they did not so live; that ended the argument. . “ Thus the world called in question the fact of any living lives of chastity. Eighty years have passed away, and that fact, now, is no longer called in question. Hundreds of men and women have lived together, maintaining a close, social relation, upon the basis of pure celibacy, for eighty years in succession, known to the thinking, philosophical mind as a prob- THE SHAKER. 85 lem not to be (but is now) solved. This fact, Henry Vincent will make known on his return to England.” J. S. P., North Union. Anastasis. This word, which is rendered resurrection in our English version of the New Testament, has two important meanings attached to it by Jesus and the Apostles, and these so intimately connected that the use of one immediately sug- gests the other. One signiﬁcation is, a new, spiritual life, which succeeds the sensuous life in the Christian believer; and the other, an endless existence. In fact, when the term is applied to Christians, the two ideas, usually, are completely blended. We see how closely connected these were in the mind of Jesus, fromthe words he addressed to Martha, who was bewailing the death of her brother. “Jesus said to her, ‘Thy brother shall rise again—anastesetai.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection in the last day—-en te anastasei en te eschate hermera.’ Jesus said to her, ‘ I am the resur- rection and the life; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”’ The same union of the two ideas is also observed in the reply of Jesus to the Sadducees, who denied that there was to be any anastasis-—-any rising to a future life. Which of the seven brothers, ‘they ask, is to have the woman whom they each married, if they all live hereafter? The answer is, “ Those having been deemed worthy to obtain that life and the resurrection from the dead——tou aionos ekeinou kai tes anastaseos tes ek nekron—-neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die any more.” These two meanings we ﬁnd also blended in the Apostle Paul’s argument in reply to those persons in the Corinthian church who denied the resurrection of the dead. “There is a sensuous body—soma psuchikon-and a spirit- ual body.” “ The ﬁrst man is from earth, and the second is from heaven.” “As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” “ When this mortal shall have put on immortality, then will be fulﬁlled the recorded saying, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ” These two thoughts, it is safe to say, are the prominent ones in the mind of Jesus and of Paul whenever they allude to a future life. Life in God, the heavenly life, is the resurrec- tion, and that is to continue forever. So com- pletely does the idea of the Divine Life ﬁll their minds that it is as though there were no life in the human race where that is not—-all else is death. The Apostle Paul represents himself as eager to rise out of this state of death. “ If by any means I may attain to the resur- rection from the dead,” that is, from among those who are dead. All who are destitute of this spiritual, heavenly life, are the dead. It matters not whether they are in or out of the physical body. This spiritual life is ‘.he life of the last day, the day of the Messi: h, the eternal age; and this he was strivi- g with all earnestness to gain. It is worthy of notice that, in his argument for the resurrection addressed to the Corinth- ians, he speaks only of Christians as actual subjects of the resurrection. From this fact some have drawn the conclusion thata part of mankind, in the view of the Apostle, are to be annihilated, or else to remain forever with- out hope of everlasting life. This is because they have supposed the Apostle to be speaking of an event that is to be accomplished in a brief period of time, and not to continue throughout the Messiah’s reign until his work shall be completed. A proper attention, however, to the course of his argument will satisfy any one that no such idea can be deduced from it. Having given his proofs of the appearance of Jesus among the living after his cruciﬁxion by the Jews and the Romans, he exultingly ex- claimed, “Now has Christ been raised from the dead, the ﬁrst of the sleeping ones. For, since death has intervened through a man, resurrection, also, has come through a man; for, us all die in /idam, so all will be made alive in Christ ; but every one in his own order; Christ, ﬁrst, then those who are Christ’s in his coming—-en te parousia autou. Then-—in due course of time-comes the end—the com- pletion of his work——-when he shall have de- stroyed all rule, and all authority and power opposed to God’s. For he must reign until he put all enemies under his feet. Death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed.” It is to be observed, that the Apostle declares all will be made alive, but they will be made alive in Christ. None but Christians are sub- jects of the resurrection, in the essential, sublime sense of the term, yet none are ex- cluded from the privilege of becoming such. This he puts beyond a. doubt by the sweeping declaration, “./Ill will be made alive in Christ,” in which the all that are to be made alive in Christ are contrasted with the all that die in Adam. He speaks elsewhere, it is true, of those who are to be punished in the time of Christ’s coming, but the penalty meted out to them is just that which their offenses merit, according to the age in which they live. It is the diken olethron aionion, a. term similar to that which Jude employed when speaking of the guilty inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah -the diken puros aiouiou-—the penalty their offenses demanded in that age. Death and hell are to be destroyed; and, unquestionably, the penalties resulting from violated law, which are more severe the greater the light which one sins against, are means which the Being of Inﬁnite Love uses for the destruction of these enemies of everlasting righteousness. There can be no escape; the penalty is just as certain to lbllow crime as day to follow night.‘ And as transgression of the divine laws has been, in one way or another, universal among mankind, there was no impropriety in the Apostle’s regarding all as in a state of death, while he proclaimed a way of deliverance from it for all men. The mode of deliverance is not an arbitrary one; not that of a partial, ﬁtful, passionate being, nor of one who takes pleasure in dis- playing his power so as to overwhelm with terror and amazement the human soul, and to confound the sense of right and justice im- plantedlin man. God works so as to confound the plans of the proud and self-sufﬁcient, yet’ always so that his methods of working com- mend themselves ultimately to the highest reason of his creatures. The Apostle Paul speaks of the resurrection as occurring in. a‘ moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and yet it is evident, from his statement that each person is to be raised in his own order; that he refers only to the commencement of the work in the individual soul, which may, in fact, be as sud- den as the language represents, and yet not occur, in many cases, until after a. long prepar- ation in the person for it. His own conversion to Christianity was remarkable for its sudden- ness, and yet he represents himself as striving to the utmost to attain to the resurrection from the dead. “ I have not yet gained, I am not yet perfect, but I am pursuing so as to gain the prize of my high calling.” The resurrection, then, in its essential nature, may commence in this state of being, and in the case of the Apostle, it did so com- mence. It was to him the introduction to a condition of happiness of which, while he ad- hered to his Jewish religion, he had no concep- tion. It was a sun, illuminating his entire spirit. It was the rain which waters the ten- der plants of the new, spiritual life, causing them to grow and become strong. It was the inspiration of divine truth within himself, which made him the effectual preacher of righteousness wherever he went. It was the opening of heaven to his internal view, show- ing him the heavenly messengers descending and ascending, earthward and heavenward; showing him also, Christ himself, who stood by him and encouraged him in his efforts to advance his cause, and inspired him with strength and courage to bear the numerous persecutions to which he was subjected. The resurrection was to him a spiritual, heavenly life, whose characteristics were joy and peace, gentleness, kindness, and the ardent and abiding love of one who has been baptized into the element of love, in the place of pride, self- will, hatred and malice; unwavering faith in the inﬁnite goodness of God that purposes and plans the welfare of all his creatures; the substitu- tion of new and living hopes for old prejudices; the breaking down of old barriers that had been interposed by ignorance and folly between different portions of human beings, enabling him to love as ardently and work as earnestly for his Gentile brethren as for those of his own nation. This to him was a present resur- rection; and so he represents it in his epistles to Christians. “ If ye, then, are risen with Christ,” he wrote to them, “ seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.” And yet it is plain, from his own words, that he regarded the resurrection, in its fullest sense, as something far beyond anything he had yet experienced. He was looking forward to a grand consummation of hopes that he had been led to form. There was a prize at the end of his course which he pvrposed to gain, a crown of righteousness which, as victor, he expected to wear. “ When Christ, who is our life, shall be nianifeszted, ye also shall be manifested with him in glory.” This glorious manifesta- tion was to be the fulﬁllment of his hopes, his complete deliverance from the state of death in which he still found himself, though he had been elevated already “to sit in heavenly places in Christ.” That was to be not only freedom from the power of sin, but from the liability of ever again ‘falling into sin. ...‘.-..ii-. .v»">“«'|,'>A“‘x<*4 » 36 THE SHAKER. In addition to this expectation of a glorious deliverance from the death of sin, there was an assurance in his mind that this blessedness was to continue forever. “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” His song of triumph, at the close of his argu- ment for the resurrection, is not only that of the assured victor over sin, but also of one who expects forever ‘to wear his triumphal crown:——“O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, invisible world of the dead, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Victory now, over that which gives to death all its force and bitterness—-sin; so that we are elevated completely above it, living lives of purity and practical righteousness in spite of the enemies by whom we are daily beset! Victory in certain prospect over all the foes we now have or may yet have to encounter, until we shall, each, be able to say, ‘ I have fought the good ﬁght_, I have ﬁnished my course, I have kept the faith,——henceforth the crown of everlasting life is mine!’ ” WM. H. BUssr.LL. POETICAL. “ The Shaker.” Hail! hail, thou welcome messenger of truth- God speed thee, and sustain thee, thou art forsooth Answer to long, long years of earnest prayers And supplication to God that somewhere, Or somehow his holy truths we should declare. Thy sacred pages yet will light unfold, More precious to a sin-cursed world than gold, Diamonds and rubies; all the gems of earth Fall before thee—-of more intrinsic worth Thou art by far. Thou art a chast’ning rod Wielded in the mercy, truth and love of God. That all may read and understand the Truth From hoary-headed sage to prattling youth, That whoever will, may come and be partaker Of heaven’s choicest boon, we send THE SHAKER, Which will reveal the new and living way, From darkness to an eilulgent day. The mission of THE SHAKER to fallen man [Ann, Is, God‘s love revealed through Christ and Mother To teach mankind that unto him is given To do _God’s will on earth, as done in heaven, To break the shackles, let oppressed souls free, Proclaim abroad the glorious jubilee. [sword To unsheath the bright and glittering two—edgcd Of Gospel Truth. the spirit and power of God ; To enlighten souls, convict them of their sins, And make them feel and know ’tis Truth that wins Aye, Truth alone will stand, all else will fail, ’Tis God's decree that Truth shall yet prevail. 0 speed, speed on thou sweet angelic sound, Convince the skeptic and the wise confound; Strengthen the weak,-—conﬂrm the strong To battle for the right, and to subdue the wrong. Teach all mankind this Truth to fully know, That in the depths of earthly hearts do grow Germs of unrest, and, all learn this, would You feed on heavenly manna—Angels' food, And be forever happy, then BE GOOD,-- Take up thy cross and follow Christ the Saviour, Serve God with thy whole heart, also thy Brother Love as thine own self; and, wouldst thou at last A home in heaven secure ? All that thou hast, Forsake ; houses and lands, children and wife, Brothers, Sisters, Father, Mother, thy life—— Thy carnal life surrender, lay it down If thou wouldst reign with Christ and wear the crown Of Everlasting Life prepared for those Who’ve conquered sin, and all their inward foes. Aye, friend, know this, and do this Truth believe, That Christ lies not, nor yet doth he deceive ; Wo11ld’st thou be his, and enter heaven's door, Sell that thou hast and give it to the poor ; All selﬁshness be wholly laid aside And all thou hast be willing to divide. By this we do not mean that we must hate The person, or the thing——the selﬁsh state The carnal mind, that loves a selﬁsh few, This is the meaning, the good and true Are all of God, and we must love them all ; These are universal—belong not to the fall,- These are Christ’s conditions, none else will do, For those who would the narrow way pursue. Yea truly, ’tis a straight and narrow road That leads the Pilgrim home to heaven and God, No vulLure's eye hath e’er this pathway seen, Nor lion's whelp hath ever trod therein ; No ravenous wolf or other beast of prey Can walk this pure and holy, heavenly way, That leads the soul to Life. and to eternal Day. Many shall be called——the Chosen few-— ’Tis they alone who daily will pursue The strait and narrow way, forsaking all For Christ’s sake and the Gospel ; who will fall Upon the rock, and there will broken be, And from all dross and sin be purged free, Who'll wash their robes in Blood, that of the Lamb, Through living works come up, the great I AM Alone to serve ; who’l1 strive to know and do His holy will, the narrow way pursue, W hose every breath to Father, Mother, Son, Is, Not my will, but thine O God be done. E. E. F. My Shaker Home. 1 In a hamlet, remote from the thronged thoroughfares, VVhere business and pleasure with folly abound, I dwell in retirement, and breathe the pure airs That flow from the mountains which circle me round. My home is so pleasant, contentment draws near, ;‘.And bids me rejoice in its pleasant retreat So closely allied to that heavenly sphere, Where discord no more may her tauntings repeat. 2 No edict from monarch nor empress I dread, In a President’s frowns nothing piercing can see ; Christ, in his true order, I own as my head, And love is the magnet which captivates me. To the goddess of fashion we never bow down, Thus saved from the trouble her votaries share, A cap, smooth and modest, a neat tidy gown, \’Vith kerehief and collar, my Sisterhood wear. 3 . Our shoes are for comfort, and made to the feet, Not so small to compress them and freedom destroy; Yea, our understanding: would be quite a treat, To such slaves of folly as “ Miss Afong Moy.”* Not with jewelled fingers our work we perform, And pendulums hang in our clocks, not our ears, No pearls, nor yet ribbons, our persons adorn, They are deemed quite as useless as crocodile tears. Our costume throughout is: well ﬁtted for those Who prize health and comfort, ’bove fashion or pride, And ﬁnd in a neat humble garb, more repose, Than the gay, pimping lady, whose heart is outside. What can adorn woman like virtue and love ? A heart full of kindness and heavenly grace, These deck her with jewels and charms far, above All that art can devise for the form or the iace. 5 0 let me be clothed in garments ofthcse, And thankfully toil in my plain Shaker dress ; For Wisdom's bright treasures which give the heart case, And clothe me in raiment of true righteousness. I’ll toil for these blessings, these jewels of love, Ills patiently suffer, that cannot be cured, From under the cross never seek to remove, To be by the world, or its follies allured. B. K., Canterbury, N. H. *A Chinese woman who exhibited her small feet in this country some years since. More easy than to live it, thrice, Was always found to give advice. ' Who plauds the great, who helps the poor That spirit hate, this one adore. Love is a gem of priceless worth, Aye, more than all the gems of earth. E. E. F. Is War Compatible with Christi- anity? How strange, that in the nineteenth century of the Christian era, there should be a doubt upon this subject! but, inconsistent as it is, a majority of the professedly followers of the “ Prince of PEACE ” would, no doubt, answer unhesitatingly in the aﬂirmative. How often in religious tracts and biographies are soldiers taken as models of piety and of exemplary Christian conduct, and among their other vir- tues they are often described as being very much attached to their profession! their horri- ble trade of blood, masked with the name pro- fession! How often is a beneﬁcent God in- voked for a blessing on the murderous weapons of war! , Across the Atlantic we behold one of the fairest countries of Europe devastated by a most needless and cruel war, where two mil- lions of men endeavored to destroy each other by every means which ingenuity could devise; and the melancholy results of the conﬁict are now seen :——a desolated country,—toWns laid in ashes—thousands upon thousands of men slaughtered in the prime of life; with hundreds of thousands of wounded and disﬁgured human beings; together with an immense burden of debt that will weigh heavily on their descend- ants for ages. Friends of humanity, listen, for a voice of woe is heard through the land! The weeping of desolate widows! The wail of the bereaved mother in her agony of grief,-— and the pitiful sobs of orphan children! Even the victors, who, by the chance of war, are spared a desolated and ravaged country, bear a heavy share in its miseries: four hundred fathers killed in one regiment, in repulsing a sortie from Metz, leaving 1,070 orphan chil- dren, tells a mournful tale. The Teacher, whom these warring nations profess to follow, said: “ Lode your enemies.” “ Bless them that curse you.” “Do good to them that hate you.” “ I say unto you that ye resist not evil.” “ If a man smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Instead of doing this, they aim the deadly riﬂe at a. brother’s heart,—-plunge the cruel bayonet into his breast-——mow their brethren clown in ranks with the ponderous ca.nnon—ball, or cast their mangled bodies on the blood—stained ground -with their worse than diabolical shells. What a. commentary on human consistency is a battle-ﬁeld,——a Christian (.9) battle-ﬁeld! where enlightened 0) men professing to follow the gentle and loving Jesus of Nazareth, meet in hundreds of thousands to tear each other limb from limb, like wild beasts! What a picture! it makes the Angels weep! But, some will say, “ It cannot be helped; it is im- possible to avoid it.” Did Christ teach im- possibilities? It has been avoided, and it can be avoided. The example of William Penn and his peace-loving Quakers, for 70 years in Pennsylvania,—where the government was sustained without any weapon more danger- ous than the constable’s staff, and during which there was not one drop of Quaker blood shed, surrounded as they were by powerful tribes of what have been called, “ treacherous and merciless savages ; ” while the neighboring colonies were the theatres of Indian wars and -'—*"!.=:.~;.’:'.—.~. =.:~‘.c~r: ' -" '. --5 THE SHAKER. 3'7’ bloody massacres-deﬁantly contradicts the assertion! Neither soldiers nor savages will fight an unarmed peaceful people: Tecumseh when asked why he did not attack the Shakers at Busrow said: “ What! attack a people who will not ﬁght? It would be a disgrace to the name of an Indian!” Witness again the in- stance recorded in history, when Alexander, incensed at the Jews for refusing to violate their oath to Darius by furnishing food for his army, marched to Jerusalem, with the inten- tion of chastising them severely. They went out to meet him unarmed, dressed in white, with the high-priest, Jaddus, at their head. ‘What a change was wrought in his conduct! After treating them with the greatest kind- ness, paying marked respect to their high- priest and exempting them from the payment of the seven years’ tribute, he left them in the most friendly manner. Non-resistance, as has been demonstrated in this and thousands of other instances, is practical, politic, humanitarian and Christian; war, on the contrary, is unwise, impolitic, un- christian and diabolical. We appeal to you, friends,——brothers and sisters of our great human fami1y—to unite your inﬂuence to banish from the earth this great curse of our race! Let all nations see in the calamities of unhappy France, the fate that has, or will, sooner or later overtake every warring nation. Let all who profess Christianity, see if their practice will bear the only test of discipleship, as given by its founder. “ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples: rum YE HAVE Lovn one FOR ANoriina;” and let those who would con- tinue the barbarous anti-christian practice of war, hear his last warning, which has been fulﬁlled among the nations of the earth from that day to_ this: “ They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.” W. C., Mt. Lebanon. Plain Talks——No. 2. _ Our warfare and weapons are not carnal; but spiritual and mighty when exercised with earnestness and wisdom. We are bold ad- venturers in a most extraordinary endeavor-— overcoming the world! We have taken issue with the world; and against its allurements we mean to wage the most unrelenting warfare ——knowing no such word as failure. The world, against which we turn our efforts, is composed of “the lusts of the ﬂesh, of the eyes, and the pride of life!” VVe are charge} with being contracted in our religious life- workiiig only to the overcoming of the lusts of the ﬂesh. We know this to be the root of the great tree of evil; and had better work eter- nally here, than attempt to kill the tree of evil by pruning among its branches. VVe ﬁnd, that success in battling against the lusts of the ﬂesh assures us of that peace which humanity, generally, know not of; nor can they know until, beginning as children in the school of Christ, they learn that A, B, C is self—denial to their animal appetites, that have made their souls so dyspeptic that the least morsel of truthful testimony against a carnal, ﬂeshly life, afflicts them like a vomit, and they pour cutions against the mediums of this testimony. Thousands, while knowing the lusts of the ﬂesh to be their greatest enemy, implore of the Shakers not to destroy this god of sensu- ality. We find that sensuality does not pay, physi- cally nor spiritually; and that it is very un- christian in its mildest attacks——as observed in marriage, etc. We do not abhor marriage- we get along with it in our warfare against ﬂeshly lusts, just as our great Captain did——by letting them severely alone! We ask of Chris- tians to do no better with them. And here the argument comes in: “It is natural to desire marriage! ” So it is; and our choice is to aspire above earthly desires, to inaugurate on the earth “thy kingdom come,” which shuts out marriage, private property, and their conse- quences-—misery, disease, war and famine; these are of theworld and belong not among the resurrected ! Truly, we have taken an advanced step in a life of purity-—under the self-denying restraints of a celibate life—-while living as spiritual Brethren and Sisters in a common household—- God’s spiritual house l ‘ And while the unself- denying Would feign disbelieve in our accom- plishment of this, and picture to themselves the horrors of “the eunuch for the kingdom of heaven’s sake,” we assure them there is a con- tinual increase of comfort on our journey through life; that we never suffer anything, in- consequence of self—denial, that will compare with their self—indulgences, even of the first nuptial evening—-and then, how different the results of their sufferings and of ours! This brings an increasing purity, eternal in charac- ter; that brings with it disgust, disappoint- ment, bitter anguish and soul—deﬁlement, that grow not less with increased indulgence, but constantly make wide the gulf between their souls and God! “ Oh, for a closer walk with God ! ” “ Nearer, my God, to thee !” And while, as before intimated, some choose to disbelieve our position in life, as regards our testimony against all ﬂeshly lusts, in whatever form of indulgence, we mean to advance still farther in the work of self-denial, and leave all who love the world still farther in the rear. “ Away from the world of ﬂeshly lusts! ” was the first of seven trumpets; six more are to sound ; and the worldly will observe true Shakers engaging in advanced works of self—denial———progressing “ from faith unto faith.” VVe view the habits of a worldly life—intem- perance in ﬂeshly lusts, in eating, drinking, swearing, tobacco-using and ﬁghting——to be the refusal of the soul to increase in godliness; no- thing can suppress these; but something can sup- plant them. And that religion is a false and worthless one, that does not present its sub- jects with substitutes for these, that speak of eternal enjoyment; that does not supplant them with food that stops that yearning for something—which something is spiritual ad- vaiicemciit, and the true remedy, resurrection of life, and in our ways of lifc,——living as Christ lived; who neither lived in those lusts which the world glory in; was not a tippler; was never seen with cigar, pipe nor quid ; would forth the vilest thoughts, feelings and perse— not ﬁght; had good health—the result of tem- perance in all things. W'e admit the world of humanity, generally, to be in our advance on the outward run; but, on the home-stretch, we feel ourselves nearer our Father’s and Mother’s home. * “Time is Money.” Seated in an easy chair, last evening, after the muscles had performed their share of the duties of the day, my eyes fell upon the above motto, ingeniously woven into an advertise- ment. lt was an incentive to industry. Summingup the spare moments that frequent- ly slip oy unimproved, I thought how much of the symmetry and beauty was lost from our ideal of perfect manhood. “ Time is money.” ‘We can account for the origin of so singular a proverb, when We con- sider the fascinating inﬂuence of money on the human mind. Could three other words ex- press so much of the hearts of men? Vilhile it speaks to us of the virtue of industry, it would have us toil at Mammon’s shrine! The Angel of VVisdom lifting us upon the platform of the World! 'We will not object to the elevation. If we are below it, we must need come up; but I trust we shall not consider it the acme of human development. Sentiment is at fault if it points us no higher. If it provides only for the body, it leaves a void within. Industry should be one of the first lessons of life. It is the secret of growth; but if that growth is too much toward materi- ality, it blunts the liner feelings and develops the animal rather than the angel. VVhen we weave our garland of mottoes to adorn the crown of Industry, we will write it, by putting our hands to work and giving our heart to God: TIME is MORE THAN MONEY. J. C. “Hark, from the depths!” This wail comes from Philadelphia: “ I look upon the present laws and relations of marriage, as the direct source of more pauperism, crime, dis- ease, and death, than rum, tobacco, war, pes- tilence, and famine; and I. speak not at ran- dom when I say this. Tobacco, rum, and war, are chieﬂy male accomplishments: pes- tilence and famine are conﬁned to a few lo- calities; but marriage is nearly universal. No condition, sex, nor locality where hu- man beings exist, is exempt from the curse of this human foe! "“ ”" "" ”* Perhaps I write too severely; if so, it is because I feel deeply that this truth is too true. "“ ”" * I have been in the camp of marriage; I know the rottenness of every fibre of this gilded monster, and nothing shall shield it from my piercing shafts, until its death-throes say—- ‘ the deed is done!’ ” Comments: There are thousands, who, having been caught in the beautiful spider’s web of marriage, feel as the above cor- respondent. But this individual, and the majority of his sympathizers, would be among the last to live totally abstinent from the gratification of their sexual appetites. The Shakers look upon marriage, under Mosaic injunctions, to be honorable; but neither it nor the practice of any laseiviousness is, or can be Christian. Neither Jesus, Angels of God, nor the Shakers are ever afllicted with the pangs of matrimony ; neither soiled by sexual uncleanness nor individual vices. * 38 THE SHAKER. War between Freedom and Slavery, FROM THE CHRISTIAN STANDARD. “ Those whom Christ makes free are free indeed." W'as .Mother ﬂnn the first Enfranchised Woman? Taking a view from the highest earthly standard, she was truly the pioneer in the battle between Slavery and Freedom, as touch- ing the human soul. She was divinely inspired, and illuminated by the light of truth. She broke the shackles which pinioned her to the affections of man on the earth plane; and by degrees arose, one _ fetter after another being severed, and falling, which gave new impetus to hope and freedom. VVith agony of spirit, so intense as to pro- duce bloody perspiration, her mind being in- vulnerable, she persevered with invincible courage, praying to God day and night, until she triumphed. N o wonder she was reduced to a skeleton, under such extreme travailfor the birth of ' freedom. In this prepared condi- tion, the Christ Spirit proffered aid, illumina- ting and extending the hand of sympathy, which endowed her with wisdom and power to break the heaviest and strongest shackle, caus- ing it to fall powerless. Then she arose in queenly majesty; in royal grandeur! Beauti- ful ; especially to those baptized with the Christ Spirit. N o powers of Earth nor Hades shall forge those fetters again. The powers of Liberty and Truth triumphed. There was joy in the New Heavens, a grand celebration! “A woman compassed a man! ” “ The wis- dom of the wise was confounded! ” This was the commencement of a new era, the beginning of the New Creation, the manifestationof the second Eve—-coming forth, opening the graves of conventionalism, unloosing the mantle of creeds and dogmas, which bind both hands and feet. Thus untrammeled she was compe- tent to“ compass man in every respect. She penetrated the dark recesses of the heart; no iniquity was hid from her searching eye. Man quailed and sank into insigniﬁcance before her penetrating spirit. Her love was equal to her justice. Merciful, divine; forgiving her ene- mies, their bitter and cruel persecution, their malignant slanders, scoffs and frowns. At length she reached the summit, where she stood emancipated, clad in her freedom suit- elevated above every sensual appetite and pas- sion--“ having the light. of the Sun in her countenance, the stars in her forehead, and the moon under her feet.” In this condition she could attract and lift mankind up to a higher standard, regenerated and emancipated. And shall not her followers, who are baptized by the Christ Spirit, who are living the same life, reach this summit—have the same power to lift up humanity, and set all captives free? OLIVE, Har. The fool gets madat almost every call ; The wise man ne'er gets mad at all. This rule is simple, certain, true, Who takes offense will give one, too. I ask no greater treasure. than To be at peace with God and man. To possess Emulation without envy, is a most envi- able possession. E. E. F. 1 Light and Right. Health. “It may be both interesting and proﬁt- able to notice the views and habits of Swedenborg, in relation to physiology- health. ‘Seership, as a general rule, is coincident with abstemiousness, which is the directest means of putting down the body, and (by the law of the balance) lift- ing up the soul; and, where seership is thus of itself, it leads to new demands from the soul, or new exigencies of tem- perance. W'e might instance the Hindoo seers, as examples of these remarks; or we might support them by numerous cases occurring in Europe, and even at the pre- sent time; not to mention that the germs of the experience are within every man’s knowledge.” As the man depends so much upon the dinner, and the dinner upon the appetite and the self-control, it is advisable to know what was the diet of a man so industrious, peaceful, and deep-eyed as Swedcuborg. The following is his account of his first baptism into the spiritual world: “I was in London, and dined late at my usual quarters, where I had engaged a room, in which at pleasure to prosecute my studies in natural philosophy. I was hungry, and ate with great appetite. To- wards the end of the meal, I remarked that a kind of mist spread before my eyes, and I saw the floor of my room covered with hideous reptiles, such as serpents, toads, and the like. I was astonished, having all my wits about me, and being perfectly conscious. The darkness attain- ed its height, and then passed away. I now saw a man sitting in a corner of the chamber. As I had thought myself en- tircly alone, I was greatly frightened, when he said to me, ‘Eat not so much.’ My sight again became dim; but, when I recovered it, I found myself alone in my room. I went home, and the following night the same man appeared to me again. This time I was not at all alarmed. The man said, ‘I am God, the Lord, the Creator and Redeemer of the world. I have chosen thee to unfold to men the spiritual sense of the Holy Scriptures. Iwill myself dictate to thee what thou shalt write.’ The same night, the world of spirits—-—hell and heaven—was convinc- ingly opened to me, where I found many of my acquaintance, of all conditions.” Again, he says: “In the middle of the day, at dinner, I heard an angel saying that I_ should not indulge the belly too much at table; and there clearly appeared to me, as it were, a vapor exuding from the pores of my body like a mist, extreme- ly visible, which fell towards the earth where the carpet was, upon which the vapor, being collected, was changed into various little worms under the table, which burnt, or ﬂashed off, in a moment, with a noise or sound. Seeing a ﬁery light in this vapor, and hearing a sound, I thought that thus all the worms that could be generated from an immodcrate appetite, were ejected _from my body, and thus burnt, and that I was then puriﬁed from them.” From this time his diet became a constant harmony and preparation of his seership. Sandel says, “He was never ill; be always enjoyed most excellent health; having scarcely ever experienced the slightest indisposition, except when in states of temptation. Health is the ground which great persons cultivate, where- by they exchange the light ﬂying hours into golden usage. To them it is industry represented in its power,——the human riches of time. The minute-glass runs sand of centuries, when great ideas are in healthful moments. So it was with Swe- denborg. The powers of his mind were matched with extraordinay strength of body. Health, in its whole sense, is hap- piness. His life, in all respects, was one of the happiest that ever fell to the lot of man. He says, ‘I have had joys and happiness such as no other man, I suppose, has felt in the universal world; and these both were more and more exquisite than any mortal can imagine or believe.’ ” His biographer says, “It appears that he abstained from animal food from die- tetic considerations. At the same time. there dwelt in his mind a vegetarian ten- dency, pointing towards the future, or at least, what is the same thing, crying out from the past. He writes on the subject- in his ‘Arcana,’ as follows: ‘Considered apart, eating the ﬂesh of animals is some- what profane. The most ancient people never, on any account, eat the ﬂesh of either beast or fowl; but lived entirely upon grain, especially on wheaten bread, on fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and vari- ous kinds of milk, butter, etc. It was unlawful for them to kill animals, or to eat their ﬂesh. They looked upon it as bestial, and were content with the uses and services that animals afforded them. But, in process of time, when men became as cruel as wild beasts, yea, much more cruel, they began to slay animals, and ate their ﬂesh; and, in consideration of this nature in man, the killing and eating of animals were permitted, and continue to be so.’ ” God. His ﬁrst spiritual command of “Eat not so much,” was placed over the portals of his study. His childish supposition, that God had appeared to him in person, was TI-IE SHAKER. 39 owing to the gross physical condition of his body, the consequent dullness of his faculties, and his low spiritual state, at that early period of his experience,—a fallacy common to the seers and prophets of all ages, from Adam to Moses; from Moses to the modern spiritual mediums; and from those mediums to the instru- ments in the early Shaker spiritual mani- festations. Subsequently, Swedenborg, like his brother, John the Revelator, be- came disabused, and declared that “God cannot be seen in person by mortals on earth, or in the heavens.” He says, “there were angels who were sent to men, and who also spoke by the Prophets; but what they spoke was not from the-angels, but by them; for their state then was such, that they knew no otherwise than that they were Jehovah. But, when they had done speaking, they presently returned to their former state, and spoke as from themselves.” This is a true principle; and no human being, Jesus not excepted, has ever seen Deity. Swedenborg further says, “The Patri- archal Prophets, Psalmists, and Evangel- ists, are not holy men; they are not even venerable, for the most part; but the voice of sacred history itself generally assails them: their names are unknown in heaven. There are no» saints with earthly names; but only sinners, scarlet more or less. God’s is all the glory. Abraham, Moses, David, John, are plain mortals, like our- selves, entitled to no great consideration, when their oﬁice is laid aside, and their divine insignia put off. The men after ‘ God’s own heart’ are only so for a time and a mission. Every one is after God’s own heart for the functions that he does best; holiness is not involved. The ‘ chosen people of God,’ were the worst of people: for redemption begins at the bottom.” ’ FRAGMENTARY IDEAS. Stability of the solar system.—-“ Though the solar system is liable to certain muta- tions, in the form and eccentricity of its orbits, of very long periods; yet its orbits return again exactly to what they origin- ally were, oscillating between very narrow limits.” C “At once, by a single effort of his genius, worlds innumerable, in congre- gated spheres, were beheld in harmonious operation, without end or limit. The boundaries of the Universe, so to speak, became to man at once illimitable; and the scattering goodness of the Divine hand, strewing mercies and blessings amongst unnumbered worlds hitherto un- seen and unknown, and unconjeetured, was a scene worthy of the Almighty.” “The most glorious and magniﬁcent region in the material Universe,——the heaven of heavens,—formed, as Sweden- borg expresses it, of innumerable heavens in congregated spheres beyond or outside our own, was displayed, ﬁrst to the intel- lectual, and subsequently to the ocular vision, when one universal blaze of glory burst forth on an astonished world, who beheld the Almighty traversing the in- numerable spheres with the same ﬂowing richness, beauty, and care, as is so con- spicuous on this atom of a world upon which we dwell.” Thus, witnesses for the day, were Swe- denborg and his followers, the Spiritual- ists. For long ages, the human race had been religiously impressed, but their rational faculties had been “held in dur- ance vile.” , Man hungered after knowledge which “State and Church” had withheld, by taking away the key of science, and sub- stituting therefor, the senseless dogmas of superstition. Light broke upon the religious world through Swedenborg. Rig/zt began to be established in the religious world through Mother Ann. In due time, these are now being con- joined together, and they are building up, or as Swedenborg expressed it, are “ form- ing the new Heaven ”—-the New Church— that will not lust after an adulterous union with the State——the New Earth—-nor seek to put together what God hath put asunder. SEPTIMUS. BIOGRAPHICAL. Teachings of Ann Lee. ( Continued.) .10. “Labor to feel the life of God in your souls; labor to make God’s will your will; let it be your inheritance, your treasure, your daily occupation. Labor for the good of your souls, as though there were none on earth so needy of salvation as yourselves.” 11. “In dealing with humanity, endeavor to understand their temperaments, and deal with them according to their creation. Some will need the plainness and severity of the testimony to bring them to a true sense of their condition; others will be saved by mercy and charity; they cannot be saved in any other way. Who wins souls to Christ, must needs be wise; but some never will ﬁnd salvation except by feeling the judgments of God! ” 12. To one who remarked that “he was full of evil; ” Mother Ann replied: “ Not so; you are not full of evil, for there is room in you to receive good; the conviction you feel for your sins, is good.” 13. Some one sent Mother Ann a pair of velvet shoes; she returned them with the remark: “ I choose to have my feet shed with the preparation of the gospel of Christ.” 14. “ Eat and drink with temperance. Let none abstain from food which they need; but let them not fail to serve God by the strength of their food. The wicked eat and drink and consume it upon their wicked desires. Ye must not do so; eat hearty and with thankful- ness; then go and do the will of God.” 15. Some persons complaining that their food did not satisfy their appetites, Mother Ann replied: “ Your bodies are not hungry; but your souls are starving for the bread and waters of life. Confess and forsake your sins; hunger after righteousness, and you shall be ﬁlled to satisfaction.” 16. “Men and women can engage in the gratiﬁcations of their lustful appetites in this world ; but if they do not learn to crucify the ﬂesh, it will follow them into the world of spirits. Death does not destroy the passions, nor make them less powerful; souls in hell feel the strength of their lusts a thousand fold stronger than in this world; and ﬁnding no Way to gratify them, their lust is their torment, and torments them according to the proportion of its rage. ‘fAnd further: they have to feel the wrath of God against that ﬁlthy nature; and this torments them, even worse than their lusts. The more people yield to gratify their sexual appetites, the stronger their passions grow, and the more their lusts will rise in hell against them; torment will take the place of their pre- sent pleasures. “Isee now, in vision, souls suffering hell enough to take natural life, for sins committed through generative lusts. They are bound in the prisons of suﬂering; and their torment could be no greater, if they were in a cauldron of molten lead.’’ 17. “Souls who have had an offer of the gospel of Christ—to depart from sin and live a virgin life—but who reject the offer, will go into the World of spirits and wander in deep distress looking after God. I have seen some wandering, in despair of ﬁnding deliverance from the torments of their sins; weeping and wailing until, to appearance they had worn gutters in their cheeks! Flee, therefore, from the wrath to come, by sacriﬁcing the causes of hell.” 18. “ You must forsake the marriage of the ﬂesh, or you cannot be married to the Lamb, nor have any share in the resurrection of Christ.” 19. “Some gifts of God are given to souls in perverted nature’s darkness; not because they have repented, but to lead them into a repentance.” Some asked: “ What is repent- ance? ” “To leave of the commission of sin, is the only repentance God accepts,” said Mother Ann; “and this no one can do, only by an honest and faithful confession of every sin that he has committed, to those who are already saved from the sins he would repent f.” 0 20. To some who kneeled before Mother Ann, asking her blessing, she said: “Kneel not to me; kneel to God; I am only your fel- low—servant. If I reprove you, remember, I also love you, and desire to bring your soul nearer to my soul, and nearer to the Spirit of God.” "' “The Shakers never accept any, nor reject any; they admit many, leaving it for the Holy Spirit to prove whether they belong to their Society or not ! " R. W. Emznsox. 4:0 TI-IE SHAKER. To my Youth-No. 2. Without watehfulness and self-examination, you cannot progress a single inch——-without self-examination you will stumble as you go every day; not only so, but you will be a stumbling block in the way of other souls. A lack of the gift of self-examination is the reason why young people need to be examined by others. They do things from an inward pressure of evil. Against this pressure a cross has to be borne. And that is the reason why Jesus taught his disciples to bear a daily cross; and it is just the same with you to-day as it was with the young disciples in Christ’s day. And when he Warned his disciples to watch and pray, he, in the course of his labors, added another word—pray and faint not—do not give up to the enemy. One of the reasons why youth do not ex- amine themselves, is, because they do not want to change. They want to remain the I Same kind of persons they have been—to follow their own natural way, and not God’s Way. Now that will never do-—Jesus and his follow- ers changed—turned from their own ways- came not to do their wills. The youth who stands stiff in his own will is not in a fruitful condition. Another reason why youth do not like to examine themselves, is, they do not like to read the record of their own doings as written on their memory—do not like to look at themselves, because they have been yield- ing here and there, from the path of right, and so have been co-workers with Satan, and so much under his power, as to be afraid to say to him, “get thee behind me, Satan;” have not simplicity enough to tell themselves and their parents the truth, and so shame the Devil. In examining natural objects, men are not content with their ordinary vision; they use helps——-examine things microscopically, and are much pleased to have the microscope open up something they could not see with their naked eye. Now, how is it possible for any person to know himself, if he will not examine himself with his own eyes. Those who do, will have the help of other eyes, that see clearer and further than their own; in this way “God helps those who help themselves.” But those who have eyes and see not, shall wander-—stumble and fall in the dark—the darkness of their own will. I It may be asked, how can the gift of self- examination be gained and maintained? The answer is, by continually exercising it on all you do, by night and by day. Persevere therein, till it becomes pleasant—becomes a delightful duty. Then you will know for yourself, experimentally, and truly, that “Christ’s yoke is easy, and his burden light.” I omit saying anything further on this inter- esting parable ; exercise your own mind upon it, and gather information from others on the subject. And when you get through with this parable—this beautiful casket, there are others equally beautiful. There is the casket of the Fig Tree; of a grain of Mustard Seed; of a little leaven; of the Prodigal; of the unjust Steward; of the Beggar and the Rich Man; of the Man who thought too highly of himself; of the unjust Judge; of the Man who went into a far country; of the Man who planted a vineyard; of the VVoman and the lost money; of the lost Sheep; of the Tares; of the Shepherd and the sheepfold; of the net and the Fishes, and the Casket of the Pearl of great Price. Every one of these caskets contains gems illustrative of the king- dom of heaven; where lust has no place——even the uncleanness of marriage is not permitted. Blessed are those who have a part in that kingdom, never to go out. I will now say a few words on the two-fold life in man. Jesus said, “ﬂesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven.” Now, all the animal creation are ﬂesh and blood; and are brought forth through the action of the propensities; and we, in common with the lower animals, have the same kind of life, and the same propensities; therefore, that life can have no part in heaven. Intellect, in connection with our animal life, does not make it any better, nor change its nature. In addition to that life, we have an- other life—a life, that the word of God can quicken; but no mere animal can be so quick- ened. The Apostle said, “Ye hath he quick- ened, who were dead in trespasses and in sins”——hath he quickened into a higher life, who were wont to live in the lusts of the ﬂesh and of the mind. And again, “if ye live after the ﬂesh ye shall die; but if ye, through the spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” “And as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God,” and no longer the sons of Adam. The testimony of the gospel which you hear from time to time, is the testimony of life to the inner man; and no soul can ever be quickened, except in obedience and subjection to it. You may gather from these few words an understanding which life is acceptable to God, and from you to your Brethren and Sisters, and which life is not. Remembering at all times, that ye cannot serve two masters. Which will ye serve? Carnal, ﬂeshly nature, or will you strive and pray that you may be quickened into a newness of life; and living the life of the Angels———maintain your virgin characters—that never need to change to be eternal in character .9 D. FRAZER. One little cherub from New Hampshire—seven years old—writes us some truths, which we are glad to place before our little readers. Many long sermons have been preached, without containing so much simple Shakerism. The kernel when reached, is: "Confess and forsake sin; live purely, and you are a Shaker without knowing it—regai-dless of your theology." ED. How to make a Shaker. To make a Shaker is to confess your sins honestly, live purely like the little spirits in heaven; you must not hide your sins, because you do not like to confess them; you cannot hold them forever; you will be found out be- fore long, by the light of truth, which will urge you to confess them. You cannot have your own way unless it be right; but will have to obey what you are taught; you will not be allowed to be unclean, nor tell falsehoods among the Shakers, without honestly confess- ing and repenting of them. If you do not do mm this, you cannot make a Shaker, because the people will not bear it very long. This is true, for I have been taught all this, and more. If I had room I would write you some more about it. Gnnrnunn, Canterbury. To “owe no man aught but love and good will,’’ is a fundamental principle of Shaker faith. Any persons, therefore, trusting a Shaker, for longer or shorter periods, must do so at their own risks, and without the sympa- thy of Society. None, within the precints of Shaker Society, not excepting its officers, have any right to contract a debt. * Love is not lust ; these two are opposite. Oil and water cannot blend; neither the generation of the earthly with the resurrection of the heavenly. VVe cannot live ﬂeshly lives, and at the same time be Chil- dren of the Resurrection. * NOTICES :-—The address of Harvard Shakers, is “Ayer, Mass.” The Postmaster General has estab- lished a Post Oﬂlce at “ S1iakers._" Albany Co., N. Y., for which, Senator Fenton has our heartfelt thanks. Inquirers are informed, that our 1’aper’s beautiful appearance is the work of C. Van Benthuysen & Sons, Albany, N. Y. G. A. L. THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITION 01' REIJGION, ACCORDING TO SHAKER THEOLOGY. ‘Firrr CENTS, PER ANNUM. IN ADVANCE. G. .1. Loans, Resident Editor, Shakers,A1bany Co., N. Y. MEMBERS OF SOCIETY /ippoirlted to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. I£lderF. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia;‘Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, N. Y. “ Calvin G. Reed, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. “ Simon Mabee. West Pittsﬁeld, Mass. “ Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Comm, Shakers. ’ “ Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. “ Wm. Leonard, Ayer, Mass, Shakers. “ John Whiteley, Shirley Village. Middlesex Co., Mass. “ Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. ' “ Henry Cummings, Enﬁeld, Grafton Co., N. H. “ John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. “ Alonzo Gilman, West Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Me., Shakers. “ 0. C. Hampton, Union Village, VVai-rcn Co., 0., Shakers. Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. “ Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers, Olno. V “ George Runyon, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. “ J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. “ J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. PUBLICATIONS. Christls First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church - - - - - - 1 00 Compendium of Shakerism - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests - - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0105
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 06 (June 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-06-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “ I WILL sxaxn ALL NATIONS, AND -run nnsmn or ALL NATIONS SHALL coma; AND I WILL FILL rms HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITH THE Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., JUNE, 1871. No. 6. NOTICE ! 1. THE SHAKER is the oﬁicial Organ of the ynited Societies called SHAKERS. 2: Therefore, be it understood, that “to owe any man aught, but love and good will,” is unbecoming a Christian, or Christian Community. No one having connection with the Societies, has any permission to run in debt; any one, therefore, trusting any member, does so at his own risk, under the discountenanoe of the leading authorities; and no part of Society will be holden for debts so contracted. ~ ”“ “Running the World Out.” SHAKERS —— SALT. The two most stereotyped objections to the rationality and perpetuity of the Shaker Order are, First : That if celibacy be a normal principle, all people are under obligations to adopt it; that if it be right fo...
Show more“ I WILL sxaxn ALL NATIONS, AND -run nnsmn or ALL NATIONS SHALL coma; AND I WILL FILL rms HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITH THE Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., JUNE, 1871. No. 6. NOTICE ! 1. THE SHAKER is the oﬁicial Organ of the ynited Societies called SHAKERS. 2: Therefore, be it understood, that “to owe any man aught, but love and good will,” is unbecoming a Christian, or Christian Community. No one having connection with the Societies, has any permission to run in debt; any one, therefore, trusting any member, does so at his own risk, under the discountenanoe of the leading authorities; and no part of Society will be holden for debts so contracted. ~ ”“ “Running the World Out.” SHAKERS —— SALT. The two most stereotyped objections to the rationality and perpetuity of the Shaker Order are, First : That if celibacy be a normal principle, all people are under obligations to adopt it; that if it be right for one, for a thousand, it is right for ten thousand, for everybody. Second: That if mankind should here- after, at any time, so adopt it, the world would run out—-the human race would cease to be upon this earth. The foundations, very extensively laid in the theological education of religious people in Christendom, upon which rest these objections to a religious celibate life, are the subjoined ideas :-— First: That, in the spirit World, there are but two receptacles of the souls of all earth’s inhabitants—one heaven, and one hell, the antithesis of each other. That there is no evil in heaven, nor in those who, as soon as they are out of the body, go there. That there is no good in hell, nor in any one who (after they cease to breathe the earth’s atmosphere) enters it. Second: Not the solid facts of human experience, which constitute character, will determine to which of these two ex- treme places the disembodied soul will go; but the belief, or disbelief, of some abstract dogma, having in itself no in- trinsic good nor evil, and of no practical use nor consequence to either the individ- ual or the race. Third: Of the six hundred (more or less) sects in Christendom, each one sup- poses itself to be the one true way to heaven; and supposes that all who die outside of its pale will go to the other location. Practically, they are all one way. In dogmas they diﬁ"er; in works, which go to the formation of character, they are one; and, after death, they will all go to “ one place”—Hades, the place of departed spirits—the ﬁrst spirit world; and will from thence descend, or rise, according as their works have been, with- out any reference to their theology, until they ﬁnd their proper heaven, or hell. There is one thing in which these theo- logical sects are all agreed,—“the works of the ﬂesh,”—-the practice of gerzemtion, and its inevitable concomitants, or fruits—- marriage, selﬁsh property, war, creating rich and poor, bond and free, on the basis, of “male and female ; ” living to eat and drink those things which aiford the most present satisfaction, or gratiﬁcation, at the expense of future sickness and disease; then employing a class of men to cure them of their sicknesses and diseases, by the use of poisons, as the great cure-all, which induce premature death, and pass them into their heaven or hell in the spirit world. Contemplating S/zakerism, all these unite and say, if celibacy is right, marriage is wrong, and, the Shakers excepted, all will go into hell, and be eternally lost. Jesus said to his disciples, “ Ye are the salt of the earth,” to preserve it from decomposition—putrefaction--—and ye bear the same proportion to the mass of man- kind, that salt does to the bulk of the earth, or that salt does to the quantity of meat to which it is applied as a preserver. “There be few that be saved” while in the physical body, and living upon the earth. But those few will be the Saviours of all who live and die in generation, after they have passed through the gates of death into the land of souls. Thus, as “ a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” and maketh it all into leav- en; so is it the tendency of salt to make whatever it is applied to “taste like itself ”-——-like salt. And thus, all who be- come Christians actually—Shakers—on earth, are the first-fruits of what the whole mass of mankind may hereafter become in the spirit worlds; as those who are them- selves saved from the lust of generation, the lust of eating and drinking, the lusts of dress and equipage, and the lusts of the mind, in this'stage of being, will have to help other souls up to the same plane of existence in the eternal spheres of spirit life. Jesus was eminently a man of princi- ples and not of persons. He would not alternately love and hate the same man or woman, according as they changed their spirit and character, but would hate the corrupted character and spirit. And, when it is shown, from historical data, that the system of spiritual ethics promul- gated by him was rather the result of the “progression of primates ” (as Professor Mapes would phrase it), than a new pro- duct of his own individuality; and that Buddha, Confucius, Zoroaster, and Moses, the world’s Avatars, had each, in their day and generation, built up a compara- tively perfect system of moral precepts and religious maxims, illustrated by their own lives, which were the exponents of the same eternal principles of truth that Jesus taught and practiced; and as the primrose by the hedge-side can, by judicious culture for successive germinations, be progressed to a double-ﬂowering moss-rose, not easily propagated, so the Shaker Order, being the second appearing of Christ to and in humanity, in its entirety of male and female, is where, for a hundred years, the sexes have lived together as celibates, in a spiritual relation, without faltering or deviation (Dixon‘s “Spiritual wives,” and. Noyes’s Community, or “Complex Mar- riage,” to the contrary notwithstanding), as brethren and sisters, just as they expect to live to all eternity; this being eternal life. Of itself alone, salt would make a poor meal for a hungry man or woman; o_r poor soil in which to grow vegetables. But, applied agriculturally to the soil, or mixed in proportions with other substances, it is invaluable and indispensable. “I came not,” said Jesus, “to bring peace on .the earth,” to its generative family relations; “but to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother;” and to make a man’s foes, his generative lusts, and their products, to be 42 THE SHAKER. those of his own houshold, when called into the Christ Order and converted; just as salt is set against meat that is on the highway to decomposition. By reason of “ the corruption that is in the world through lust,” the earth, in its proper family relations, is fast passing away, is being burnt up by its own inter- nal ﬁres; and society, to-day, is being threatened with general disintegration, which nothing but an increased and more extended application of Ska/lccrism-—the Christ Spirit and principles—can avert! N 0 less potent causes can arrest the down- ward tendency caused by so many seeking pleasure in unrighteousness, through the highest functions of individual and society life—-nutrition and reproduction. The end has come, and “the earth, and the works that are therein, will be burnt up,” either by the spiritual ﬁres that Jesus kindled eighteen hundred years ago, or by the ﬁres of its own unsubdued pas- sions. So that it is only a question of high-life foeticide, low-life infanticide, or Christian celibacy. A female Saviour—Ann Lee—arises, who makes use, not pleasure——7*z'ght; not expediency—p7'2'nc2'pZe ; sensuous enjoy- ment, not the object of human existence; seeking, with all the powers of her being, the wealth of others (the Community), not her own; such only are Avatars--Saviours. They are salt, with which to save them- selves, and to preserve and protect all upon whom they act, by inﬂuence, primarily or approximately. Their followers are the “ Ye ” who “are the salt of the earth.” “But, if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted?” Sure enough! If any one turn to the “weak, beggarly elements,” and so become earth, and not salt, such is good for nothing, but to be returned to the earth as manure, to stimulate the growth of earthly plants. Seceding Shakers perform this use. They are preachers to the world, like its own priests, knowing more than they prac- tice, and are to be regathered into the fold at some future day. There is an obtuseness in the public mind upon the subjects of this article which cannot be accounted for, except on the principle that “the ﬂesh lusteth against the Spiritual Order, even as the Spirit of Christ warreth against the sins of the world, and soeketh to burn them up, and thus save souls therefrom; even as physical ﬁre consumeth matter that is more gross than itself. St. Augustine said, “Marriage peoples the earth; Celibacy replenisheth the heavens.” Were all females to be mar- ried, and each one to bear six children, the earth would soon be‘ overpopulated; and were all females to become eelibates, the earth would soon be depopulated. If marriage were appropriated to its proper use only—the begetting and rearing of oﬂ'spring—-celibacy would still be neces- sary to check population, and to raise up seed of the Resurrection heavens-—a class of Jesuses and Anns, to minister the eternal Order of the Resurrection, or Christ heavens to souls after they pass over the river, into the land where there are no pomegranates nor ﬁgs, and where they will say, “There is no bread here; nor is there any water ; and our souls loath this light bread. 0, that there were a physi- cal resurrection of our material bodies; and that we were back again on the earth, where we could have our long-accustomed, stimulating indulgences, and not forever suffer this hungering and thirsting after earthly things in this Hades, the valley of the shadow of death to all our earthly enjoyments.” Let the new heaven arise, that it may create and regulate a new earth-—a new life! F. W. E. Salvation. We all want Salvation; but differ in opinion what shall be saved in us, and who shall do the Work. The most generally accepted idea of Salvation, is something to be effected here- after, by the imputed righteousness of one who was murdered by the Jews -for the pur- pose; for which the Jews are hated and Jesus very much worshiped. This idea does not require us to cease the practice of sin, but to believe that Jesus “paid it all.” We are arrested by conviction of wrong-doing; under this education, we plead for salvation, not from the act of stealing horses, but from the penalty deservedly our due; and just so, the next time we steal a horse. Popular Chris- tianity teaches, that of ourselves we can do nothing; that we must rely on the death of a certain body, not on his life and example. We claim, that Jesus never taught such doc- trines, has no fellowship with those who be- lieve them, unless he feels the fellowship of pity. We have a noble example of our duty as students, accepting Christ: ~“Lord, what shall I D0 to inherit eternal life?” “,Keep the Commandments.” “These I have kept.” “Then if thou wouldst be perfect, DO AS I HAVE DONE?’ “ But Lord, these are not what I want to do; nor the practices I want to be saved from; excuse me!” Thus we have in the life of Jesus, an example; and in his teachings what we must do, and not do, to be saved. What would be the effect, if the moral code were enforced upon all professing salva- tion through the merits of Jesus? Verily, we believe they would be better exponents of Christian principles than now; and enjoy more salvation from the crying evils of the day, than millions of centuries will ‘save them from, while believing that Jesus has taken medicine that will save them from sin, or the punishment of sin. Jesus teaches that the boon of salvation is obtained by patterning his self—denial, and by “ Go, and sin no more !” “Those who Do the will of my Father, the same shall be saved.” “Not every one that saith, ‘Lord, Lord;’ but those who do some- thing,-—-my Father’s will.” Give me a religion that has the power of salvation in it; that is not made up of forms, creeds nor ceremonies, but has in it vitality that yields present salvation. Give me a religion that yields life——eternal life; not a hypocritical cloak under which I can hide, on the first day of the week, the evil transactions of the previous six! Give me a religion that is the power of God unto salva- tion now ; that puriﬁes, elevates, ennobles; that takes cognizance of outward acts; of inward thoughts; not only at stated periods, but per- vades the whole being, from Sabbath to Sab- bath; all the weeks of the year; all the years of a life! And thus is summed up the call of the Spirit on every one who “names the name of Christ ” or would live a Shaker life. H. 0., Enﬁeld, N. H. I Christian Faith. Faith, as usually defined, is the assent of the mind to a statement made, having refer- ence either to the past or to the future. Christian faith almost invariably refers to the future, and denotes the certain conviction which one has of events that will transpire, or of the results of a given course of conduct. In the language of the Apostle, “it is the foundation of things hoped for, the assurance of things not seen.” It is a principle of the same character as that which exists in the mind of the Divine Being. “By faith, We understand, the ages have been arranged by the word of God, so that the thingsiwhich are beheld have not come into existence from things apparent.” That the entire future is clear to the mind of Deity, so that he is cer- tain what will be the moving panorama that, in the course of ages, will pass before the eyes of created beings. Though the events which occur in a regular order of sequence have not yet actually transpired, yet they exist as reali- ties in the Divine Mind. “God calls things that are not, as though they were.” The Christian, united to the Divine Being by his Spirit dwelling in him, possesses an unshaken conﬁdence in the future; whatever may be the agitations of earth, either in its physical con- vulsions or moral revolutions, he has a ﬁrm persuasion that all things will eventuate in the greatest good to himself and others, and will evince the inﬁnite wisdom of the Supreme Ruler. “ His hand the good man fastens on the skies, And bids earth roll, nor heeds the idle Whirl." Christian faith, as the term implies, must be the faith of Christ; not merely a belief in him, nor on him, but the faith of Christ, the very faith which he possessed. It is that which inﬂuenced him to a life of self—denial, by bearing a daily cross against every inclination that would lead the soul downward to ﬁnd its gratiﬁcation in the sensual life, and not up to the celestial; against every prompting of am- « bition that would have urged him to strive for the renown of the warrior, of the earthly mon- THE SHAKER. 43 arch, or of the ecclesiastical dignitary ; against whatever would have inﬂuenced him to exalt himself above the lowest of those whom it was his mission to elevate to a life of purity and righteousness. By his faith he was united to the Father, so that the future, which was all transparent to the Divine Mind, was laid open to himself in proportion to his capa- city to comprehend it, and he was able to show to his disciples things yet to be. These early disciples, who ultimately became ﬁrmly estab- lished in the faith of Christ, the Apostle Paul exhorted Christians to take as examples of faith and patience: “ Whose faith follow, con- sidering the aim of their life,——JEsUs Cnnxsr THE SAME, YESTERDAY, TO-DAY, AND FOR- Evnn.” He is the same in his intimate union With Inﬁnite Love; in faith and hope; in meekness and humility; in unbounded kind- ness and charity; and in his aspirations for whatever is in its nature of the utmost purity and divinest beauty, both for himself and all Gcd’s children. Christian faith, therefore, is not simply an assent of the understanding to some truth presented to it, but an active principle operating throughout the entire existence of man, whether in this or the spirit world, and continually bring- ing him nearer to the All Good. It embraces not only an assurance of ultimate blessedness, but also the lzfe of faith, which is its very essence—faith in active exercise, manifested in every-day conduct. It is the foundation of an ediﬁce, laid indeed in the present, but whose superstructure is to be the work of the future. This foundation is laid in God; it therefore partakes of the stability of the Eternal, and is a certain prophecy of the beauty and glory that will ultimately greet the eye of the be- holder. This faith is not the self-conﬁdence of the worldly-minded. It is not the assur- ance of a Napoleon that the star of his destiny, which had risen so brilliantly, should continue to shine more and more brightly till he had reached the zenith of worldly power and glory. The throne which he had established by so great efforts, and that he fondly hoped would remain as a permanent seat for many generations of his posterity, was suddenly broken. It lacked the element of durability possessed by that which the Psalmist beheld in prospect when, viewing Christ’s ﬁnal tri- umph and glory, he exclaimed,—-“‘ God is thy throne for theage cy“ ages .’ ” One may learn a valuable lesson respecting the instability of earthly hopes and conﬁdences in reading the biography of Sir Walter (Scott. He was a man of wonderful, intellectual abilities, who stood on the very summit of literary emi- nence in his day; was remarkable for his social and amiable qualities, and of decidedly aristo- cratic tastes and aspirations. As a consequence of these tastes, he was anxious to be the founder of a family with a name and fame above the many. by his literary efforts was employed in gratify- ing this desire, and Abbotsford, the grand estate, with its beautiful and aristocratic man- sion, was established. But a crisis came in his ﬁnancial affairs, which stripped him of his wealth, and the remaining days of the distin guished man of letters were spent in toilsome efforts to retrieve the disaster. Abbotsford The great wealth which he acquired ._ V passed into other, though kindred, hands, and no one is left to transmit to posterity the name which he so highly cherished. He was not of that class mentioned by the Apostle, who look for a. city that has foundations whose builder and maker is God. The Christian’s faith is always accompanied by a power which enables him to obey the law of divine love, and ultimately frees him from the tendency to transgression. In the lan- guage of the Apostle, “it works by love, puri- ﬁes the heart, and overcomes the world.” This indeed is what gives to it the certainty which distinguishes it from the mere assent of the understanding to a proposition. It is the Spirit of Truth, which Jesus assured his disciples should abide with them forever. It does not give to the soul its “longing after immortality,” but assures it of its reality. It was this faith, with its accompanying power, that dwelt with so much fullness in Mother Ann. It was the sword of keenest edge that severed at a blow the knot that has troubled so many mere logicians. She needed no long- drawn argument to prove to her the existence of God and the immortality of the soul. She was athirst for the waters, and hungry for the bread of eternal life, and she sought to satisfy her spiritual wants just as she would those of the body. The words of Jesus, “Labor for the food which endures to everlasting life,” were to her a divine oracle. She did labor. Her spiritual instincts led her at once to the true source from which all her wants could be supplied. Whatever could be effected by con- fession and repentance of sin, she did with a purpose. Whatever power was to be obtained by prayer, that she sought by earnest and continual supplication. The Divine Spirit wrought powerfully in her when she consented to yield to its saving inﬂuences. It taught her the renunciation of every desire that leads the soul to ﬁnd its heaven among those who are dead to the experimental knowledge of the higher, spiritual and heavenly life. It inspired her with that earnestness and. zeal which made effectual all her efforts to rise from the dark- ness of sin, and to attain that state where the sunlight of Divine Love should shine continu- ally upon her. To accomplish this, she was willing and glad to forego every possible sen- sual gratiﬁcation, being assured that what she sought to gain would be an inﬁnite reward forievery trial she should be called to endure. And she did gain it. By following Christ in the regeneration, denying herself in accordance with his requirements, she was made partaker of the same life which he possessed——eternal life. God, as manifested by unbounded love, gentleness, kindness, and enduring patience, dwelt in her. His peace was her peace, and his joy, her joy. So that it was with the utmost propriety that she replied to a sister who was expressing the ardent love she felt for her, “You do not love me, but you love God in me.” Situations which to many minds would have been utter darkness, were to her all aglow with divine illumination. She be- held the future through a glorious medium, like that which enlightened Jesus on the Mount. What she gained, dwelt in her as a permanent treasure. As a fountain springing up to everlasting life, it overﬂowed continually for the beneﬁt of others, and many, thirsting as she had thirsted, were eager to partake of its refreshing waters. There ever is, in the faith which is in- wrought into the soul by the inﬂuences of the Divine Spirit, a certainty that is as satisfactory to its possessor as the demonstrations of the exact sciences. There is need of no compli- cated, metaphysical process to arrive at this assurance. It comes as the rain from heaven; as the sunlight to the plant, that asks not, “ how is it possible?” but drinks in the light and the dew, and then grows on, and buds and blooms, and sends forth its fragrance, and displays its beauties to every beholder. “Those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall ﬂourish in the courts of our God; ” and this planting is the result of that faith which, the Apostle says, “I will show you by my works ”—in every day life. W. H. B. Life in God——No. 1. The foundation of all religion rests on the sublime truth, that man is the image of God; intellectually, the miniature of the Supreme Intelligence, and can only be happy in the Divine. To grow in the Divine Nature is his privi- lege; to become more and more perfect, by degrees, through time, to the endless ages of eternity! In this approximation to the Divine Attri- butes, consists his happiness; his heaven; his all: like a well-tuned musical instrument, he has to be attuned into the harmony of the great Prototype; and when the intonations are complete, man will be in possession of all the happiness designed, and of which he is capable. If man were not the image of the great Prototype, how could he be the recipient of any revelation, inspiration or teaching? How could he understand, and come to the knowl- edge of the Divine Will? How could he be responsible to the great Tribune, without the consciousness of the Divine impress in his soul? On this great truth, Of man being the image of God, rests the revelation of our Heavenly Father through the prophets, and lastly, through the great Prophet, Immanuel, the Holy Saviour, which, being interpreted, ‘is, “ God with us.” When the Lord Jesus opened his mission, "by preaching salvation from the evils in the world, his disciples became conscious of the Divine truth, having in their own souls a response. On this fact, of man being the miniature and offspring of God, the Saviour predicated the Judgment: the ﬁnal justiﬁcation, or con- demnation, of those who heard his Gospel; for said be, “This is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men choose darkness rather, because their deeds are evil.” They saw and comprehended the Divine truths necessary to their salvation; but on account of the cross, were not willing to accept and obey them. Being endowed with the capacity of under- standing the Divine will and mission, man is therefore made responsiblefor his own happi- ness or misery; the ﬁnal result resting on his .~__ *4:-4: THE SHAKER. own choice; for he is left free to exercise his powers of volition, to choose the good and re- fuse the evil. On this fact, the Holy Saviour predicated his mission. He made no attempts to change the structure nor attributes of the human mind; but in all cases and conditions, to adapt his doctrines and teaching to the understanding of his hearers. And his call was, invariably, “Whosoever will, let him come, and partake of the waters of life freely.” A privilege, no compulsion; free liberty to make the choice of the way of salvation, and the kingdom of heaven; or the dark labyrinths of condemnation, and the pre- cincts of the damned! The strongest advocates for sulphur and the other concomitant combustibles, cannot possi- bly get half enough into their crucible to make a hell comparable to a guilty conscience, and self-abnegation from the enjoyments of the righteous in the kingdom of heaven; to whom the Lord of salvation will say, “.Ye goats to the left, and ye sheep to the right; ” a condi- tion of volition and election ! Here we may pause and ask: “Is it possi- ble for any human being to bear the separation from his or her Heavenly Parents, and their good and faithful children?” Thoughts of everlasting separation, darkness and despair, are hardly endurable by a ﬁnite and depend- ent being. If man could change the intelli- gent god within him, and obliterate it from his soul, then he would be a fit companion, and there would be a place for him among the swim ; but as long as he has the knowledge of Life in God, he must be with his Parents, or be forever miserable! ! And now, once for all time, let us cease to teach Divine mysteries; the inscrutable ways of Divine Providence and his specialities in the salvation of his children; the ﬁghting of the winds in the shape of imaginary demons; the groping in fogs of uncertainty of our creation and destination, and come out into the broad day of everlasting light, where creation can be seen and known: let us take the right way, calling on the bewildered and lost in darkness, to “Come into the light, for we have found the way, and are on the road home!” Re- sponse from the lost children: “But we are doomed to everlasting ﬁre and perdition!” Voice: “ Who told you so?” Response: “The holy catholic fathers, John Calvin and Martin Luther.” Voice: “A false report, the Holy Saviour is here, and he says, you may come and welcome! ! ” Response: “All right, we will soon be there! ! ” God the Eternal is positive; positive in his own nature and being; positive in his plans of creation. The universe of mind and matter, now in successful operation, attest his eternal efficiency! His agents, whom he employs, must be like himself, over active in carrying into execution the Divine missions, for the well-being of his creatures. It is the doing of positive good, for ourselves and others, which constitutes the good man or woman. Negatives in agency do nothing; they are nothing in -human beings; and the man or woman, who expects a reward for being a passive recipient of he-aven’s good store, and the selﬁsh withholding them from others, will hear the unwelcome sound, “de- part from me, for I never knew you.” The mission of the Holy Saviour was a life of continuous labor: “ My Father worketh, hitherto, and I work.” Jesus said, “it is more blessed to give than to receive; ” in accordance, he went about doing good; giving aid and comfort to his poor fellow-beings; in blessing others, he was the constant recipient of blessings from his Father; and the voice at his baptism, “this is my be- loved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” attested the Divine approbation and blessing! The very consciousness of having imparted to others the means of eternal life and comfort, is a blessing that enlarges the divinity within us. Recapitulation : Man, intellectually, the miniature of God; being thus constituted, it is impossible for him to be happy only in the Divine nature; a constant growth in time, and through the ages of eternity to constitute his heaven. God, in his revelations, has addressed man, through his rational faculties, making him accountable for their use; and predicating his happiness or misery, on the powers of volition. The false teaching of anti-christ can never change these Divine truths. Vsnrras. The Household of Faith. As the Trinitarian God of the past, and the masculine church of the present, have neither been fruitful of the power of salvation, nor grace to redeem humanity from degradation, so will all religions, all systems, and all creeds prove themselves inadequate to the wants of the World, which fail to recognize and be governed by the living principle of duality. As natural things are but types of spiritual, and the more real is comprehended within the crust of the outer, so must the significant fact, underlying this so long negatived truth, be admitted, if we would see the advancement and spread of Christ’s kingdom. Can the paternal inﬂuence alone beget and bring forth children in the natural order? Neither can it in the spiritual. What is home without a Jllother, either in the natural or the spiritual household? And, when the true heirs are produced, and “the sons and daughters of God without rebuke,” they will come of a parentage balanced as that which said in the beginning, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness ;-male and female created he them.” A simple, reasonable, theological basis on which to rest the principles which are to re- deem us from the thraldom of the earth-plane, and inspire us with the necessary fortitude and self-renunciation, to subordinate the natural to the spiritual, and thus be truly “born again,” are essentials to the develop- ment and progress of the soul. E. H. W., Har. Was the God of the Jews, the Creator of heaven and earth ? The Shakers say not. The God that directed the Jews was a tutelar divin- ity ; not the Father of the Christ. One believed in, and directed war ; the other taught of an enduring peace. One permitted “an eye for an eye ;” the other taught, “love your enemies." Very many complications of opinions may be un- raveled by learning the distinction made by the assertion : “ The God of the Christian is not the God of the Jews.“ =l= POETICAL. “The Servant of the Lord must be Gentle.” 2d Tim. 2:24. Gentle words and gentle actions, Tokens of a. tender heart: When to all they render kindness What rich blessings they impart l Thus, when clouds of sorrow lower, And the soul is bow’d with care, Gentle words with magic power, Strengthen us to trials bear. Let us cultivate those virtues \Vhich adorn and beautify ; Clothe the soul with heavenly graces And to angels bring it nigh. Peace and love, and tender kindness, Breath'd around us as we go, Scatter all the selﬁsh blindness VVhich prevents pure love to ﬂow. L. W., Whitewater. Inspiration of the Sunlight. 0 beautiful sunshine ! how brightly thou’rt beaming, So warming and cheering I love thy pure light ; Messenger welcome, o’er earth thou art gleaming, Dispelling the darkness and gloom of the night. 2. Thy glory awakens a feeling of gIadness,— A. happy emotion springs up in my heart ! Beholding thy beauty, devoid of all sadness, To me thou doth unbounded pleasure impart. 3. Bright orb of our system, in glory excelling, Dispenser of light, and of warmth to the earth ; Roll on in thy pathway, forever thou'rt telling ’Twas God, who created and gave thee thy birth. 4. His Inﬁnite Power, Creation discloses ; His works so majestic in grandeur are spread; Within nature’s bosom, in silence reposes The wonders of ages, so awful and dread l 5. Rich treasures, yet buried in ocean and cavern, In wilderness places, and deep, fruitful soil ; In valleys, on mountains, in deserts all barren, Only awaiting discovery and toil. 6. The bright sun of Science in splendor is rising- Now piercing the clouds, long obscuring its ray ; Gray mists are dispersing, and oh, how surprising The light that is ushering in a new day.’ 7. Strong demons of gross superstition and error, Which long having held many souls in their grasp, Deprived of authority. shrinking with terror, Recoil from the light, like a poisonous asp. 8. In death-robes its victims hath Ignorance shrouded, In cloisters and prison-walls -long were they bound; While priestly dictation their vision beclouded, No passage for light to their dungeons was found. 9. But, thank God I the fetters are now being broken, And thousands rejoice in their happy release ; All hail the glad tidings ! and welcome each token Preparing the nations for truth’s great increase. 10. When Freedom shall triumph o’er earth’s vast do- minions, And high shall be carried the standard of right, The angel oflove will unﬁold her soft pinions, And guide honest souls that advance in the light. 11. All hail, then, the morning of true Resurrection l The sunbeams of glory descend to the earth ; 0 blessed enjoyment ! 0 happy reﬂection I With angels we gather a substance of worth. l\L\RTH.A.. THE SHAKER. The Weaver. I’ve laid my web for life, And now I’m left to fill it ; With care and daily strife, Or ease, in so will it. An even thread, and strong, Will weave me sure protection; A ‘linsey woolsey ’ one Will break, and cause vexation. And when the work is done, ’Twill make my seamless garment ; Or, clothe my soul upon, In sad and sackcloth raiment. M. W. Testimony of John Whiteley. “ I have a very decided opinion of the Shak- ers,” said a Boston editor: “that they are no better than other people, and no worse!” Con- sidering the above remark as indicative of “Whatever is, is right,” in one man’s opinion, at least, I was led to make clear the difference between the Shakers and the world, as follows: Nothing but the spirit of Christ can elevate us above earthly conditions, wherein we are “ pretty much all alike.” Evidences of posses- sion of Christ’s spirit are given, only, in pure, unselﬁsh lives. Riches, honors, place, power and literary attainments, may all be acquired without regard to purity or right; but the righteousness that creates newness of life, has its springs in complete denial of what “other people ” delight to engage in. Seeking Christ, the Spirit led me to a Shaker Community; I here found Christ manifested in the lives of individuals, as I had never found elsewhere, though a professional “ Disciple of Christ” when I came. All that wore the garb, were not Shakers, but probationers—“being tried by the holy Spirit for acceptance or rejection,” as Emerson Would state it. I have given the Shakers nearly a quarter of a century’s trial; and during that time have been tried and cruciﬁed on the same cross that Jesus died to the world; and to-day ﬁnd myself among the antipodes of “other people,” and one of them. I see “ other people ” glorying in all that tends to build up pride, lust, war, private property and marriage, which are the very enemies of the Christ Spirit. The discipline of the Sha- kers has been good for me; for by it I am redeeming myself from following those fash- ions that lead “ other people ” in selﬁsh, ﬂeshly unions; seeking to save that life that can only live at the expense of life eternal. I live for others; “not for myself alone,” nor for my natural kin alone; but am giving expression to that love for others, that requires the laying down of my carnal, generative life, and thus I enjoy Christ; and this is the only way to en-- joy the real Christ. “ The Shakers are no better than other peo- ple,” unless they actually hear more cross against sinful practices than do “other peo- ple ; ” or if the crosses they bear do not enlarge their sphere of doing good, and bring them en rapport with that life, which we in common with “other people” believe the Angels now live. I bless good wherever and in whomso— ever I see it. I love a temperate man; if he is not perfect, he is on the road, and therefore my relation. But a truly honest Shaker forms the most complete idea of what a fol- lower of Christ should be; and to be one, is the daily effort of J. VV. Divine Inﬂuences. When in a proper condition, physically and spiritually, we inhale and exhale the spiritual atmosphere as really as we do the natural air. We receive from, and impart to each other, spiritual inﬂuences, as readily as the Sun’s rays are absorbed by objects upon which it shines, or the thirsty earth imbibes the rain that falls from the clouds, and reciprocatingly returns the same in a purer form. It is said, the rays of the sun move the massive monu- ment on Bunker Hill! How much more should the heavenly Luminary—God—sway the masses of "human intellect and feeling, to act in consonance with it, for the promotion of the life that is divine-—to live, move and exist only in Him—in his service, who is “the way, the truth, and the life!” “ When We are resurrected from the mists of error, false edu- cations and superstitions, into the glorious sunshine of everlasting truth, we shall see the right way, and walk therein; we shall know of the truth, and obey; we shall know of the life, the divine, spiritual element, and live in it, as do the Angels, now in heaven. As the soul grows in the divine life; the loves of this gross, animal existence will disappear; the habits will no longer be related to earthly things, but will be fashioned after the Angelic. It is in our power to make a large measure of heaven on the earth, by engaging only in those soul enjoyments that occupy the inhabitants of the Christ sphere. VVith the All—wis‘e, the All-pure there is no trouble, and in the ratio we are wise and pure, there certainly will be none with us-—our life will be divine. H. B., Shakers, N. Y. Tobacco. It is nearly thirty years, since an inspira- tional testimony from the heavens was deliver- ed to the Societies of Shakers, against the use of tobacco, swine’s ﬂesh, and alchohol; the latter being permitted to be used discretion- ately, by direction of physicians only. Our people were generally tobacco users; pork and cider were common at every meal; yet they were abandoned and by many, never indulged in afterward, though some had been habitual users of pork, alchohol and tobacco for up- wards of thirty years. There never was a time in our history, when the same testimony against tobacco was more needed, though but few of the old Believers use it ; and they sor- rowfully. It is a lamentable fact, that two- thirds of all persons asking admittance to our Society, are habitual users of tobacco in one or more forms! And what are we to do? We cannot yet feel, that because of its use, they should be denied the privilege of confess- ing and repenting of still greater sins——“the lusts of the ﬂesh, of the eyes, and the pride of life”—ackno wledging, that the use of tobacco is a barrier, to speak mildly, to the overcom- ing of the sins of the World. Prominent minds among us do not fear that our testimony is at all too strong—nor that we shall need to back down from any position We have taken; even while we admit its use with adults having formed the habit, under protest, and denying the right of minors to engage in it at all. The argument that all nations practice it, is one that we will withstand; and nothing will con- vince us that it is respectable, nor any so re- spectable, as if they did not use the weed. The ﬁner sensibilities of our nature sicken at the thought that our clean, consecrated dwellings, should ever again be polluted with the fumes or saliva of the tobacco user. There is a moral responsibility resting on us, to be exemplars to mankind, by a continu- ance in self-denial to this bewitching narcotic. Once we were as deeply in love with it as any outside of our Society are, or can be. We well remember our social smokings,——when, with our Well—ﬁlled clay pip.es of home manu- facture, we would make the air blue with the fumes of the weed! Who wishes the return of those seasons? We accept with joy the light that science has shed upon the subject-— that it has, as usual, taken the hand of our religion, declaring tobacco no less respectable than rum, and that it is a moral and spiritual degenerator, and a physical disorganizer. The writer of this was a rank tobacco user, but has long since abandoned its use; and all honor to those who have done likewise. VVe cannot be saviours to others in this, nor in any other respect, until we ﬁrst are saved. It is to be hoped that we will not be hypocrites, by practicing what we preach against, as We commonly fault Christendom generally. We have proclaimed against the lusts of the ﬂesh and of the mind; against rum, pork and tobacco; and if we engage therein, do not let us seek to hide them under Christian colors. 7 W. R.——s, Union Village, 0. . Which is Nobler, the Aesthetic or the Ascetic? Were there no sin confronting us at every step in life, with its general accompaniments of poverty, want and wretchedness; were there no ignorance, with its lack of happiness and growth, chaﬁng ‘continually upon the benevolent and philanthropic elements in our being, the gratification of our taste for the beautiful would not seem so contrary to the genius of Christianity. We all believe that we shall have them ultimately to enjoy, unless like the rich man in the parable we have “had our good things in this life ” at the expense of the “durable riches and life evcrmore” which are the product of practical love to the Lord, and to our neighbor. E. H. W. Freegift Wells, a worthy member of our Community, deceased on Saturday, the 15th of April (1871), aged 85 years 10 months and ‘25 days. He was the youngest of a family of 11 chi1dren—al1 now dead, save one, whose present age is over 93 years. The remarkable longevity of this family is worthy of notice. Thomas and Abigail Wells, the parents of said family of children, were each, respectively, 80 and 85 years of age at death. The names and ages of the ten children, who lived to mature years, were as follows, viz. : Seth Y. VVells, deceased, aged 80y. 2m.l1 d. “ -* 74 9 16 Thomas “ J12, Benjamin “ “ “ 81 2 19 Calvin “ “ “ 81 1 8 Luther “ “ “ 83 5 4 Stephen “ “ “ 88 10 5 Hannah “ “ “ 86 1 11 Jesse “ now living. “ 93 and over. Abigail “ Jr., deceased, “ 49 2 3 Freegift “ “ “ 85 10 25 The mother and 10 children have been ﬁrm believers in the testimony of Christ’s Second Appearing, all but one having died in the faith of Mother Ann Lee. D. A. B. 45} 46 THE SHAKER. BIOGRAPHICAL. Teachings of Ann Lee. ((/lontirtued.) 21. Eliab Harlow records Mother Ann as commenting on the indifference with which Americans involved themselves in debt: “ You will run in debt, not only bringing yourself into bondage, but your family; and then, you dis- tress your creditors. Such evil management will ever be a spiritual loss to the soul, until the creditors are paid, and the soul repents of having become indebted.” 22. “ If I owned the whole world, I would turn it into joyfulness. I would not say to the poor: be ye warmed and be ye clothed, with- out giving them the wherewith to help them.” 23. “ Be diligent in business—hands to Work and hearts to God. Godliness leads to industry. The devil is a tempter; but an idle person tempts the devil. When doing your duty in the love of God, the devil can have no power over you ; there is no room for tempta- tions.” 24. “I have taught you the way of God; you must keep it. I am one, called to keep it with you; I must do my work, you must do yours; I can help you; so can the heavenly spirits, but they cannot do your work. You have a day and privilege which many others have desired, but did not obtain. If you take up your crosses against the lusts of the ﬂesh, as Jesus did, while you have the ability to gratify these, you will be the brightest souls in heaven; there are glorious crowns prepared for all such; honor and glory that none can obtain, who live in the indulgences that are darkening, and death to the soul.” 25. “ Taking up the cross of Christ will be compulsory in the future world, brought about by sufferings; but those who voluntarily take up the cross now, and live as Christ lived, will be more glorious than the Angels—yea, as kings and priests unto God ! ” 26. “ The marriage of the ﬂesh is a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell! the Christ life is eternal life; who would enjoy this, must forsake that.” 27. One day there came a poor man to Mother Ann, complaining of his brother, who was rich and able to help him, but would not. She replied: “That is the way of the world; the rich are covetous and will not help the poor; and the poor, instead of crying to God, to soften the hearts of the rich, will envy and hate them ; therefore both are wicked.’’ , 28. Of one of her disciples, Mother Ann asked: “ Do you believe I can forgive sins?” “ I believe,” said Hannah Cogswell, “that the spirit of Christ that is in you, can forgive my sins.” “ That is the right faith,” said Mother Ann. * 1. Toiling brother or sister, do you grow faint in the pursuit of the treasures of immortal life? Give your heart in prayer to God, our Heavenly Father and Mother, and supplicate their guidance. 2. Life would lose much of its unpleasantness, if each one would seek, by acts of condescension, to brighten the pathway and cheer the hearts of dear companions. A.‘ E. H. “Ten men fail from defect in morals, where one fails from defect in intellect.” Let us strive to make this untrue. intelligence are natural allies. Integrity and E. M. Prayer. Most prominent among all the subjects en- grossing the minds of professing Christians is that of prayer. What is it? Whence its ori- gin? What the beneﬁts to be derived from it? Prayer has been deﬁned as the heart’s sincere desire, uttered, or unexpressed; the motion of a hidden ﬁre that burns within the breast. Jesus advised, for prayer, to enter into the closet, and shut the door; and one of his disciples said: “Pray Without ceasing.” If these injunctions were literally obeyed, the closet would be our abiding place, and prayer our constant employ; in which case, somebody would soon be hungry, with nothing in the larder to appease that hunger. But, if prayer be the heart’s sincere desire, we may pray constantly and work perpetually; for it is action, at last, that gives vitality to our de- sires. The grocer who called out to his clerk ‘to sand the sugar and water the vinegar, and come up to prayers, might make money, and use words, but could hardly be said to pray, within the meaning of either Jesus or his dis- ciple. The hosts of professing Christians who enter their synagogues, or places of Worship for prayer, enrobed in gorgeous apparel of silks and satins, to pour forth in studied language a form of words, grammatical and rhetorical, agreeing with the gold, diamonds and rubies that adorn their persons, occupying the ﬁrst seats, have their prayers hindered by the strong contrast presented by the rear ranks of the same congregation-—the soiled and threadbare vestments, the haggard and toil- worn countenances of the widow and father- less, who are suffering for the common neces- saries of life! Should the spirit of‘ God give form to the prayers uttered, and render it into actions, this unchristian inequality would end in brothers and sisters loving each other as themselves; if prayer is desire, if what we desire, we will ; and what we will, we do. If by the closet, the Saviour meant the heart; and by the door, the mouth, heart-felt silent prayer would be the result; then we should enter our hearts, and shut our mouths. If we pray, “Our Father and Mother, God, who art in Heaven, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven,” how great the thought ! how often it is lightly considered and conveniently passed over. Query upon query crowds upon the mind: Are there “in Heaven ” manufactories of ﬁre- arms and all the implements and horrid ma— 2 chinery of war, demonism incarnate? Are there arsenals, wherein to store them? Do they manufacture powder? and have they magazines for the storage of the same? Have they military academies “in heaven,” where all the latest and most improved styles, plans, and tactics of popular murder are taught? Are there colleges for a privileged few to be educated and ﬁtly prepared as htreling priests to bear the testimony of Jesus, enjoining his disciples to love each other, and to lives of virgin purity and spotless innocence as was his own? Do they have distilleries there, to produce “the ardent” with all its varied “compounds?” Is there smoking in heaven, among the saints, and angels, seraphs, and spirits of just men and women made perfect? Do the shining hosts worship and chew, ex- pectorate and sing psalms together? Do they raise the ﬁlthy swine, free-soilers, to roam at large and root up the golden pavements, or to spoil the rich verdure of those “pastures ever green,” that the saints may be enriched by the sale of their dead carcasses? It is said that they neither marry nor are given in mar- riage in heaven, and that the rich do not there oppress the poor! This may be called an ex- ternal view of heaven; but what, or where is the external, that has not its origin with the" internal? The pharisee said : “ Go, and be thou clothed, fed, and comforted ;” but that - prayer did not exist in his heart; neither ‘did it manifest itself in any outward act. Again, we are enjoined to pray: “ Forgive us our tres- passes as we forgive those who trespass against us.” How is this prayer practically carried out in this our Christian (?) country? Is there not far more of the eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth system exercised, than that of turning the other cheek when one is smit- ’ ten; or, of rendering good for evil in our every day practice——which? Recurring to the invocation, “When thou Prayest-,” etc, We may remark, that every person, having had experience as a Christian, knows that there are “times and seasons” when the soul feels especially drawn out in prayer-—when terrestrial things become mat- ters insigniﬁcant, and unworthy of a place in the heart’s aifections——when, lost to things of time, the troubled soul ﬁnds rest iniprayer, and that solace which thoughts of God alone can give. Sweet and precious are those bliss- ful seasons, when in the closet of the heart we can breathe forth the gushings of a sorrow- stricken spirit. And very pleasant are the seasons set apart for our assembling together in prayer, blending and commingling our spirits in our united capacities. How com- forting then, to be baptized by the divine unc- tion, and to have our united body magnetized, so to speak, by the electric current as it ﬂows from the divine fountain, and unites us soul to soul. Father, Mother—God-—grant us more of this blessed spirit—the power and essence of prayer——tha.t we may know and do thy holy will as it is done in Heaven ! E. E. F., WV., 0. Maxims. Aknowledge of our own weakness creates in us, charity for others. Theiinperfections we see and despise in others, we sometimes possess ourselves. A Christian will never despise the poor, unfortu- nate, nor fallen; but will strive to reclaim them by their love of God. \Ve may despise sin, b11t not the sinner. The most powerful lens is a humble spirit ; it ena- bles us to see ourselves. Make thy heart an abode for angels, not a reservoir for sin. What we gain by our own exertions we value ; while gifts bestowed are frequently squandered. E. F. II. This whole life“ is but one great school, from the cradle to the grave. VVe are all scholars ; the voices of those we love, the wisdom of past ages, and our own experience are our teachers. Aillictions give us discipline ; the spirits of departed saints whisper to us, “come up higher.” 31- P- THE SI-IAKER. 4:7 I-Iumility—No. 1. Every virtue has its foundation in the truth and reason of things; and Humility, with all other graces, must ‘rest on this immutable basis. A certain divine being asked which was the most excellent of the Christian graces, answered “ Humility.” Being further interrogated which was the next, again replied “ Humility; ” and being a third time pressed with the ques- tion, still answered “Humility.” Intending thus to intimate that humility must be the constant temper and mental condition of the Christian ; and that without it, all other graces are in- complete. Humility arises from a true sense of our own condition and the real relation we stand in to God and our fellow beings; and as it admits of no assumptions of excellence we do not possess, neither does it consist in any degradation of ourselves below what is strictly true. ‘ All degradation below what is real and sin- cere, is mere mock-humility. It is pride in disguise desiring to be considered a paragon of that lowly virtue of which it is destitute. In vain shall we search the scriptures for one self-degrading expression that Jesus ever made, though he declared himself to be meek and lowly in heart; his humility arose from the perception and acknowledgment of the great truth, that of himself he could do nothing. It has been thought by some, that humilty arises from a proper sense and acknowledg- ment of our sins; but.this cannot be true, since the most glorious and perfect natures are always the most humble. C Jesus, though the most perfect of men, was the most humble, and his humility arose from a clear perception of his entire dependence upon God, and a cheerful submission to the divine will. If humility be predicated on a sinful state, then can this divine virtue have no place in the hearts of the just; the saints must be destitute of it; it can have no place in heaven. If humility be an immortal virtue, and of perpetutal obligation, based on the entire de- pendence of all created intelligences on their Creator, then may saints and the highest arch- angels will be humble, and eternally so. All aping of simplicity or pretensions to a childish state, which it is impossible we should really possess, is so far either from simplicity or humility, that it is downright duplicity. To perceive the propriety of humility in the intellect without desiring it in the heart, is like mentally perceiving the necessity of food with- out having an appetite for it. By boasting of our deserts we intrench upon our humility. The being unjustly disgraced is not exactly humiliated, but it may assist us to be humble. Seeing it is our duty to do all the good we can, we cannot merit praise; we have but “one our duty. Praise belongs to God. How foolish is pride! How vain is ambi- tion! How absurd for nothings to contend which shall be the greatest! Praise may do for children, and all who seek it may be counted such. Men know that it neither belongs to them nor becomes them. Men may condemn and contemn, but he that has a pure conscience will not be disturb- ed, unless he be still under the inﬂuence of . that vile affection which cannot be satisﬁed with “the honor that cometh from God only,” but earnestly craves the honor of mortal worms like himself. In proportion as any one is dead to self, and to the desire of the honors of men, in the same proportion is he regardless of the unjust censures of mortals. He that is greatly disturbed at the re- proaches of men, will, if he examine deeply into his own heart, ﬁnd that he is either more or less obnoxious to censure, or too much alive to self, and eagerly coveting the applause of crea- tures, rather than the approbation of God, in his own conscience. Seek no greatness but to be great in thy conceptions and love of the one only Inﬁnite and Eternal Good. It is a greater blessing to be censured when innocent than to be praised when undeserving. You say you was equally faithful with your brother, yet he was praised, while you was neglected. Be thankful it was so. You desire to be humble. Praise might puff you up How happy was your escape ! What have you to complain of ? Did you act from a sense -of duty and to please God? If so, your consciousness of having done your duty is a suﬂicient reward. If you are not satisﬁed with that, you may detect in yourself the sordid motive of working for human applause. If you act from the base motive of obtaining the praise of men, disappointment is the best thing that could befall you. “How can you believe, who receive honor one of another?” All the blessings I enjoy ﬂow from the all- bountiful giver of every good, unmerited by me. This must be so, unless I can make it appear that my talents are self-created—self— derived, and not the gift of God the Creator. Of what can I boast? What can I claim for my services? When I have done all that is commanded, what can I say, but that I am an unproﬁtable servant? I have only occupied the talents that were given me. How fond we are of fame, and yet what is it? A mere modiﬁcation of air, so articulated as to inflate us with the notion that we are, what we are not. . A good character is not merely a good name in the mouths of others, but a good nature in ourselves. He that has the peace of God in his soul cannot be rendered unhappy, though all men call him a demon; but he that is unreconciled in heart will be wretched, though all men call him a saint. R. W. P., U. V., Ohio. There is all that is noble in living a life of self-denial -—rlen_ving to ourselves aﬁections of wrong; and all that is lovely in the cultivation of something better- the beautiful, the good. Harthfeelings are the elements of worldly hatred. W'orldly hatred derives its origin, often. from a Wrong committed by those who hate, towards the object of their hatred. That which we love best, will form the subject of our happiest thoughts ; we will give it the preference of all other themes in our conversation ; it will have the largest inﬂuence in forming our resolutions, and of putting them into execution. if Plain Talks-—No. 3. Evading the Cross. As Christian people, we should be as far from acting falsehoods, as believing them. As followers of the Christ Spirit, we should not be guided so readily by the interpretations of apostolic teachings, as by the lives of Jesus, and those true Apostles, who lived as did their master. Life is the exponent of an individual’s creed, no matter what peculiarity is noticeable in his prayer. The world at large hate self- denial; they know that Jesus practiced this exceedingly; therefore the teachings of the Apostles are studiously canvassed, not to evi- dence the necessity of a full cross, but how individuals may shun the cross, and yet main- tain their Christian fellowship! It is notice- able to every reader of Scripture, that the popular Christianity of to-day will bear little or no comparison to the life of Jesus; that there is no unchristian practice, but ﬁnds its apologists in some of the popular pulpits. First, look at marriage : a sacred institution, so-called; but what a breach it immediately causes, between the life of the goodly exem- plar, and him who professes loyalty, but who departs thus from Christian practice. How can Christians follow, where Jesus did not go? Had Jesus married a wife, reared up a family, gained to himself a property, and maintained these at the expense of his neigh- bors, then would the popular Christians of to-day be his genuine followers ! Take war: where was there a popular pul- pit, but took sides with the combatants in our late war, and justiﬁed it, on one side or the other; yet where, in our Exemplar’s life, did they get their authority? Had Jesus been a warrior; had he led hosts on to battle and been successful as a wholesale butcher of humanity, then no fault could be found with popular Christians, nor their pastors, for fol- lowing these in the life of Jesus. But who can wonder that lust is rampant; that war is respectable; that private property is endeared, when the ‘people, generally, eager to evade the cruciﬁxion of their unchristian loves, will spend millions of dollars in educating minis- ters to interpret to them what Scripture does not mean? to hide the beautiful, self-denying life of Christ behind an ambush of unmeaning words, and secure to them the license of living the very reverse of him whose honorable name they’ prostitute ? The light of the Spirit is making these things plain to the hitherto hoodwinked and blindly led, but would-be honest followers; and this light will increase until he who dares preach any evasion of the cross that Jesus practiced, will blush all over at his hypocrisy, and sleeplessly lament his heaven-daring atti- tude. VVe honor the Romans for demanding of their teachers, that they shall represent one prominent feature of our Lord’s life——Virgin- ity; while we claim that no cross that Jesus applied to himself, can be evaded by clergy or laity without a denial of the profession of Christianity. “ Follow me,” said Jesus. We bear witness to the progress of the age. Once, and not many years ago, we would have been as our spiritual relatives were, imprisoned, impaled, cruciﬁed and burned, for utterances not so plain, yet only as true. ”" 4:8 TI'IE SHAKER. Communication. Editor of The Shaker: While number-less charges are being made against the Shakers, because of their depopula— tive life, I propose to own up to these charges, and include Jesus as one of our number who pleads guilty to the same. Speaking of the natural order, Jesus said: “They twain shall be one ﬂesh,” and only ﬂesh; and his apostle says, “nevertheless, it‘ they marry, they will ﬁght!” (1 Cor. 7:28) and the relations of marriage furnish abundant corroboration to-day. The life of Christ puts an end to generations; whoso practices under the ordinance of marriage of the ﬂesh, knows nothing of Christ’s Spirit, and such would do Well to look after their laurels as Jews; for they are not Christians, and if they are not Jews, then a.re they willing to own up to the charge of “carnal Corinthians?” Man is a. progressive being, capable of ascension above the culm-inating point of animal nature—a superior state into which he may enter while yet upon the earth-—“ thy will be done on earth, as ’tis in heaven.” Is this a romance? Man was made in the image of God; we pro- pose, by leaving the animal works of genera- tion, living temperately in that which sustains life as Jesus did, to rise with him, above the image into a oneness with the Father. The mission of Jesus was to awaken us to a knowl- edge of our spiritual natures, apart, and supe- rior to our earthly beings; to our earthly, , generative lives——and the spirit of Christ wars against every feature of the ﬂesh; not merely brings it to temperance, but puts it to death ; and thus he run the world out in himself—“I have overcome (destroyed) the world.” Jesus was called “ the harvest man; ” what was he to reap, but human souls from earthly condi- tions, and present to them a spiritual life? In man’s haste to fulﬁll the great command, he does not stop to read of the work of subdu- ing attached thereto; showing, that as a natural, earthly being, there should be a check to the extravagant abuses of his animal desires. But is man “fruitful?” Vile deny the assertion. We positively state that “ the unfrnitful works of darkness ” is the rule; and instead of fruit, Worthy of the handiwork of God, we witness a bundle of perversions, disease and death, that moans from the cradle to the grave! If being “fruitful” implies the works of the ﬂesh according to perverted desires, regardless of moral law, setting at nought times and seasons, quantity and quality, then humanity stands acquitted——hold, we err in the remark——there are multitudes of professedly Christian people, according to John Todd, and “ Satan in Society,” who will not be fruitful in anything but spasmodic lusts—-but, dear Editor, I do not mean to rob you of your “Plain Talks.” Mankind generally claim the right to use the command of God for the peopling of the earth, for the most debasing indulgences--such as would cut the brutes of from the face of the earth; and is fast “running the world out!” Why the dominion of man over woman? I tell you, kind Editor, it is to crush in the bud, the voice that would speak in the Councils of the nation, deciding how far and how long woman shall be a common prostitute! Who- ever will keep the laws of nature strictly in his generations, will be more wonderstruck at his surroundings, and of the threatened “end of the world,” than any now are at the lives the Shakers are living. Now, provided the Shakers took no higher ground than to operate as a balance to the populative principle, would this not be an exemplary improvement upon the embryotic murders; the infantile deaths; inherited and acquired diseases; wars, or wholesale murders ; legions of suicidal practi- ces, that spring from the unfruitful works, and which strew along the road '.allotted to life, myriads of human wrecks? Bury the victim of self-murder at the cross-roads as of yore, and you would multiply Grreenwoods and Auburns incalculably ; and truthful tomb- stones would declare: “ Died under the age of twenty, a victim to the violation of physiolo- gical law! ” There is no extravagance in saying that the sins of our ﬁrst parents, com- pared with those of to—day, are as ant-heaps to Andes! Let there be no misunderstanding: The Shakers are running the world out——the world of sin; and they are as a testimony of salt to the generating animals of the earthly order, predicting a running out of the world’s inhabitants, numerically, if they continue in the unfruitful practices of the present day. Let him who is perfectly fullﬁlling the Mo- saic injunctions in his generations, ask: “What lack I yet?” and the answer will be returned from the Christ heavens:——“ You have learned the song of Moses, now learn the divine life-song of the Lamb ! ” and the result will be, a ﬂight upward, from earthly practices into Angelic livelihood; and there, a similar order of life is in vogue, that the Shakers are seen to practice. The natural man willingly gives up the earthly for the heavenly; the lusts of the animal, for the loves and joys of the heavenly host. The earth, losing its attraction for him, his aspirations and polarity will be toward heaven; and then, if he have any regrets, it will be that he did not put an end to the world, ﬂesh and devil sooner, and ere then have lived, as well as professed the Chris- tian.’ E. MYRICK. A living people will have a live religion; this re- ligion will resurrect them into life eternal; life eternal is a condition that is obtained by denial unto our- selves of practices we know the Angels of God do not, would not engage in. How can we better make “living sacriﬁces unto God.” than by so living, that evil in its every form is sacriﬁced, and the pure and lovely only, shine forth in their Christian splendor? ‘Humanity are getting thoroughly awake to the fact, that much that has been considered pleasure, is illegal for Christians to practice ; is corroding and corrupting to both body and soul. The name Christian signiﬁes afollower of Christ. “ Who would be my disciple, must do as I do.” We will have no controversy with any ; but while we ask none to be Shakers, we ask them, for their eternal welfare, to live like him whom they profess to adore. “Only introduce marriage into your institution, and we will become Shakers immediately, " is the most common of observations. “ Come down from that cross and all men will believe on you,” was re- marked some time ago. “Do the Shakers want accessions?” However this may be, we do not, nor ever will want accessions badly enough to reccdc from any principle in life, maintained by our great exemplar—Christ. Should we admit any, who would not confess and depart their sins-—then there would be a humiliating spectacle—the Shakers joining the world. * Answers to Correspondents. “ Editor of The Shaker .- “ Some things I would like to know . Do you have revelations from the spirit world, as of old, or at all ? and, ifnot, what is the cause? “ Second: What do you think is to be the ultimate of the orthodox churches? Will they grow to a spiritual life? or will they ‘wax worse and worse ? ’ “Please answer through ‘ The Shaker.’ "E. F. CURTIS.” ﬂnswer. We have just such kind of communications as we desire and labor for, whether rapping, table—tipping, moving of matter, or the deepest spiritual inspiration. ' , Second : The ultimate of the orthodox churches will be,——a part will remain in their dead materialism; retrograde into inﬁdelity to their orthodox theologies ; or will settle down in pantheistic atheism. A_large part will pro- gress into Spiritualism ; and the coming con- ﬂict will be between these two classes——mate- rialists and spiritualists. The latter will ulti- mately prevail, progressing out of the rudi- mental——the generative into the Angel order, in this life, keeping the higher law of celibacy. J. S. P. THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITION OF RELIGION, ACCORDING TO SHAKER THEOLOGY. FIFTY CENTS, PER ANNUM. IN ADVANCE. G. A. LOMAS, Resident Editor, Shakers, Albany Co., N. Y. MEMBERS. OF SOCIETY ﬂppointed to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors.‘ Elder F. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, N. Y. “ Calvin G. Reed, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., E. Y. “ Simon Mabeo, West Pittsﬂeld, Mass. “ Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Conn., Shakers. “ Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. “ Wm. Leonard, Ayer, Mass, Shakers. “ John Whiteley, Shirley Village, Middlesex Co., Mass. “ Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. “ Henry Cummings, Enlield, Grafton Co., N. H. “ John B. 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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0106
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 07 (July 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-07-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “ I WILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE on ALL NATIONS SHALL COME ; AND I WILL FILL THIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITH THE LORD.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., JULY, 1871. No. 7. POETICAL. The Backsliding Christian. TO THE RESCUE. Unbidden views hefore mine eyes appear, Of wasting dignity, and shameless fear ; My vision pains, with sinking vital ﬂres, And quailing firmness that strong hope inspires. My throbbing heart is chilled, I’vc pallid cheek, My nerves the inﬂuence catch, and seem all weak ; My bosom heaves convulsively, to ﬂnd A cowering courage and demented. mind. Integrity seems palsied by the woeful shock Offaith’s abettor, stranded on a rock ; Those patriotic fires that steel the brow, Seem faintly burning, or but smouldering now ; And resolution, ousted from her fortress goal, Leaves her shorn Sampson, a De1ilah’s fool ; Bereft of strength and blinded by the foe, The pillars of the temple now...
Show more“ I WILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE on ALL NATIONS SHALL COME ; AND I WILL FILL THIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITH THE LORD.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., JULY, 1871. No. 7. POETICAL. The Backsliding Christian. TO THE RESCUE. Unbidden views hefore mine eyes appear, Of wasting dignity, and shameless fear ; My vision pains, with sinking vital ﬂres, And quailing firmness that strong hope inspires. My throbbing heart is chilled, I’vc pallid cheek, My nerves the inﬂuence catch, and seem all weak ; My bosom heaves convulsively, to ﬂnd A cowering courage and demented. mind. Integrity seems palsied by the woeful shock Offaith’s abettor, stranded on a rock ; Those patriotic fires that steel the brow, Seem faintly burning, or but smouldering now ; And resolution, ousted from her fortress goal, Leaves her shorn Sampson, a De1ilah’s fool ; Bereft of strength and blinded by the foe, The pillars of the temple now, are razed low. The temple lost, no living sacriﬁce Is now presented, and no incense rise ; No altar consecrated to the sacred vow—- No service dedicated to the God of Heaven now. And love to God, that searching, heavenly ﬂame, Seems evanescent, cool, or meanly tame, The doors of inspiration snugly shut and barred, The soul, a famished visage, deeply marred ! Now, low ambition’s regnant in the soul, Fan and refresh the devastating coals ; And worldly ﬂames the holy life destroy ; And lust of pelf, the meaner powers deploy ; Ignoble motives steal the halcyon hours, And rob the soul of her angelic powers; And now, degraded by the world’s pursuit, She doifs the Angel form, and dons the brute. And. wretched outcast from the tree of life, Divorced from God, man seeks a sensual life; And now to pleasure gives the wasting strength ‘Till ruin summons him as her‘s, at length ; Oh, horrid destiny ! replete with woe, A Heaven lost and earthly blessings too, Life spent, the naked, wretched, beastly man Of ruin’s army, leads the horrid van ! In this most woeful state of fell dispair, Time. and its treasures vanish into air ; The soul is warned eternity to Ineet, And there, in judgment, read 1ife’s soiled sheet ; Then, oh, the anguish pouring on the soul, Whom sin hath crippled, and whose life controlled— In judgment lone, she meets the direful lot, “Depart, ye cursed, for I know you not ! " No sophists here, the dread decree may thwart ; No analeptic give, to ease the smart ; Who, on the rock, might there been broken found, Lies now beneath it, and “ to powder ground ! 7’ Now, what availeth inﬁdel belief? Now, what philosopher can give relief? Now, where the charm in worldly pleasures’ dye, To woo the soul and captivate its eye ? Dread moment ! Lord, be merciful, we pray ! And may e'en justice, now, thy love display- And, when by suﬁ'erings all the debt is paid, . Lord, grant the famished soul some heavenly aid- 0 gather home, this desolated ﬂock, And give them water, from thy living rock ; And when, byjudgrnenvs ﬁres, they’re pure and free, Some Angel send, and gather them to thee. Not for thy honor, but, for nIercy’s weal, Impart thy love, these bruised reeds to heal ; And though of glory, they’re entire bereft, For IIeavcn’s sake, 0 let not one be left To chill the nerves of heavenly minstrelsy Or blight the record ofhumanity ! A ransom give to all this babel thrOng— [long! So shall our love, our thanks, and praise, to thee be- ‘ G. B. A., Mt. L. Sweet Innocence. Sweet Innocence, of beauty rare ! \Vhat virtue can with thee compare ! Who can behold thy glory bright, And not embrace thee with delight ? O blessed virtue—-richest grace l How brilliant shines thy lovely face ! 0 could vain mortals know thy worth, And seek thee, in the days of youth. Through every stage of human life, Thou canst appear for nIan’s relief, And greatly wilt thou beautify The soul, that dost on thee rely. VVe view thee oft in infant state, In child-lIood—and, on youth to Wait,- But, as wild nature bears the sway We see thee drawing far away. Too oft, in social life, we ﬁnd A stranger thou, to youthful mind ; And as in years they riper grow, Thy kind address they scarcely know. Oh, sad mistake ! Oh, blinded youth ! How little dost thou sense the worth Of this most precious gift of heaven, Which, to the child of grace is given. No ornament of nature's birth Can e’er compare with thee, in Worth : And Where thou gainest full control, Thy glory bright will crown the whole. In thee, all other virtues bloom, Diﬁ'usin g round their rich perfume, Which intermingle with thy own, As in a child of grace is shown. Oh Innocence ! Thou sweetest charm ;-- Thou canst the cruel tyrant calm !— The proud, the haughty, and the Wild Must bow to thee, thou lovely child 2 Yea, monarchs, kings and princes, all Must reverence thee——before thee, fall ;— And, as thy Christ-like hand is sought, All Worldly charms are brought to naught. D. A. B. Tattling. Like thistle ‘seeds, as light as air, And ﬂoats upon the atmosphere And plants its noxious presence, Where The choicest fruits are growing ; Just so the idle tattler’s tongue, Doth work its impious way among The pleasant walks of old and young, And_vilest seeds are sowing. The man who has no higher aim, Than that which satisﬁes the beast, Must, as a man, be very tame, And pitiable, to say the least. Virtue and Truth are the beauties of youth, While malice and rage are digraceful to age. Shakerism and Spiritualism in their Moral Aspects. All religions that have attained great proportions, if perhaps we except the Con- fucian system of China, have had their original base in some sort of spiritual manifestations. Both profane and eccle- siastical history sustain us in this position. Believers have had experiences relating to Spiritualism extending over more than a century; for our visible founder, Mother Ann Lee, was a visionist, and wonderfully endowed with spiritual gifts. Studying the histories of nations and religions, it becomes clear to us, that com- municating spirits were, in the past, as in the present, good and bad, orderly, disor- This with us has been a matter of prayerful considera. tion. As a body of people, we have never exercised these gifts for idle curiosity or Worldly gain. Spirits, entrancing, or otherwise controlling certain of our breth- ren and sisters, in several of our Societies, many years before the famous Rochester disturbances, distinctly informed us that the spiritual manifestations which we had enjoyed (during a period of seven years), would go out into the world, even to the outer court of the Temple of Humanity! These heavenly intelligenees further pro- phesied what the result of this wide-spread, promiscuous spirit-intercourse in the World would be; and these prophecies are being continually veriﬁed. Under the providence of God, by the law of cycles, prophecy is allied to cause and effect. And having, for several years, been anxiously expecting the breaking-out of those spiritual manifestations, we, upon the ﬁrst hearing of the Rochester rappings, appointed a committee to visit the Fox girls in New York city, paying our dollar a-piece for admission. This committee at once recognized the presence of spirits, and believed it to be the prelude to exten- sive manifestations of different kinds, and so reported upon their return. Subse- quently, We witnessed the astounding manifestations then occurring in the family of ‘Dr. Phelps. In brief, for the last twenty years and more, we have seen very much of these manifestations in the outer derly,-and even demoniac. 50 THE SIEIAKER. court; have been attentive readers of the spiritualistic journals and books; and were visited by the late Secretary Stanton, Dr. Grey and Judge Edmonds, of New York, and many others of the most dis- tinguished spiritualists in the country. Therefore, when we read of spiritualists failing to organize—of their disintegrating elements and tendencies, and their fre- quent descent into the “snare of the pit,” we are in no way surprised, knowing that there will yet be greater and more ﬁery discussions in the camp; and many ambi- tions will meet with a worse than a Sedan defeat. The angels are separating the “chaff from the wheat.” The three un- clean, amphibious spirits (“ like frogs ”) which issued from the mouths of the three great powers—Paganism, Catholicism, and Protestantism——are already in the land. Selﬁsh, disorderly Spiritualism is the parent of Free-loveism, of inordinate, unclean affections and carnal relations, under the instigation of demons——“ spirits of devils.” Comparatively, few spiritual- ists seem to understand the situation; some, however, are seeking a higher plane, and a more religious life; and quite unknown to themselves, are aiﬁliating with the purer principles and practices Which characterize our Shaker Communities. In a late anniversary address, delivered in New York, on the 31st of March, by Judge Edmonds, we ﬁnd this signiﬁcant paragraph: “ From us, the physical manifestations which once so powerfully excited our Wonder have almost entire- ly departed. Their oﬁice was to establish the 1'eality of a spiritual life, and the fact of communion with it. That office with us has been performed. That work is done; and henceforth the appeal is not to our senses, but to our intellects and our hearts; to the reason which God has given us, and to the spirit of devotion-at once the attribute and the badge of our immortality—which He l1as implanted in us. “ Our duty is plain and simple. It is to receive, to digest, and to comprehend the revelations which are prolfered to_us of the existence and the actualities of the future life ; to receive and realize the great prin- ciples which are to ﬁt us for'that life, and which can make it to us a source of happiness, or otherwise.” That Spiritualism as an organic move- ment is making no progress, but rather declining, is as evident to Spiritualists as to ourselves. There are various reasons for this: In the majority of places the management of spiritualistic institutions (Spiritualists themselves being authority), is in the hands of self-seekers; and Spirit- ualism has fallen into questionable com- pany. Pretension, noise, and confusion, are the stars in the ascendancy. As the tree is known by its fruit, may we ask what these twenty-three years of Spiritual- ism have done for the world? Has it dis- covered a single new truth capable of B Has it initiated and carried out any new reform move- ment? Have mediums excelled all others demonstration as such? in the purity of their lives? Have rich Spiritualists built homes for orphans, re- treats for the aged, asylums for the deaf, dumb, and blind; and Bethels for the destitute? Has their morality, generally, excelled that of their neighbors who pro- fess the various sectarian religions? That “free-love ” passion prevails ex- tensively among mediums is proven often by the testimony of mediums themselves. Go to New York, Boston, Chicago—any of the cities——-and ask the leading Spiritu- alists to give you, according to their best knowledge and belief, the moral standing, as regards purity, chastity, and celibacy, of the mediums in their immedi- ate vicinity. Are they truthful, temper- ate, and chaste? is the ﬁrst inquiry of the good man and the philanthropist. VVhat' is the moral inﬂuence of Spiritual- ism—how does it aifect character? how have controlling spirits affected the medi- ums long under their inﬂuence? These are practical inquiries. Believers have but little sympathy with many of the doctrines published in the spiritualistic papers. They are sometimes unreasonable, and often untrue, besides being expressed in a manner coarse, dog- matic, and irreligious; some are glaringly atheistic. The editor of the “Rel2'gz'o Philosophical Journal,” a spiritualistic weekly, printed in Chicago, in writing up his “ Search after God,” ﬂatly denies the existence of any Supreme Being. These are his words: “Man, and not God, was connected with the organization of matter into Worlds and systems of worlds. A large portion of mankind attributes the creation of this earth and the other planets to an inﬁnite, omniscient, omnipotent, God. They have no foundation Whatever upon which to predicate such a supposition. * * * What! Man make a planet; launch into the regions of space a comet; or organize a system of worlds for the unl'oldment of other races of human beings ? Yes; we say, emphati- cally, Yes, and care not a straw for the denial of others. Worlds and systems of worlds bow to the nod of man. Point me to anything in Nature that was made by God. Individualized man is the moving cause ofcreation. Do We declare that man conceived, made, and launched the earth into the regions of space ? Most assuredly we do. VVe propose to prove that an inﬁnite God is an impossibility. All the Gods we have found, are myths. No omnipresent God made this earth.” “Man make a planet! Yes—we say emphatically, Yes,” writes this editor. As it is generally admitted that the heathen gods were once athletic men, we wonder that the writer, considering how fearfully the world is given to “ wine and‘ women,” did not tell us that this planet was created by Bacchus, the drunken, free- love hero of antiquity. Such verbose dogmatism, and arrant atheism, as make up the warp of these wordy articles is deplorable. These atheistic Spiritualists would do well to remember that Plato, Socrates, Jesus, Kepler, Newton, Locke, Hume, Maeauley, Leibnitz, Swedenborg, Voltaire, Thomas Paine, Buckle, Joan of Arc, Ann Lee, and the good of all ages, were Theists-——believers in God. Accounting for the creation of man the R. P. Journal of May 22, 1869, says: “ Within man is the action of Nature’s forces. In nature there are sixty-eight primal elements-—thirty- four positive, and thirty-four negative; or thirty-four female. and thirty-four male, which, after courting for millions of years in the mammoth, in ﬁshes, in reptiles, and various other animals, were brought together in harmonious action or were Wedded together, and the result was ‘ man.’ " This explanation disposes of not only all Bible accounts, but also Darwin’s “Origin of Species.” Sixty-eight male and female elements “courting” a few millions of years in the stomachs of “mammoths ” and slimy “reptiles,” were ﬁnally “wedded,” and “ man” was. Hereafter, let all scientists hold their peace. Not mentioning the doctrine of “ VVhat- ever is, is Right,” so common among Spiritual-ists, many of the teachings which appear in their journals, are positively demoralizing, giving those so inclined a plausible pretext for indulging in sensual- ism and all kinds of,Free-love gratiﬁca- tions. In the copy of February 20, 1869, of the above-named journal, the editor teaches, that “Virtue, serene and happy, one of God’s most beautiful ﬂowers, blushes when she hears her Father traduced and viliﬁed; and though her eyes are bril- liant, and her countenance all aglow with innocence, she has sense enough to know that Vice, traduced, viliﬁed, scorned, looked at with supreme contempt, spat upon, is her sister, and she loves her, recogniz- ing that she, too, is a jewel in that beautiful casket which God himselfcreatcd. She does not scorn her- no, she would not—she dare not. She loves her. Pure aﬁection, unsullied innocence, a part of the GREAT I AM, loving her sister, Vice. Strange, be- wildering conclusion! W'ithin, Without, all around, we feel the presence of angelic inﬂuence. Virtue, pure, angelic, nolwl ; Vice, diseased, unclean, and repulsive——they meet and caress; they love each other. * * * Virtue is one condition; Vice an- other; both equally commendable in the sight of God, when he considers the cause that created both respectively; yet one not as lovely or beautiful as the other. * * * In licentiousness We ﬁnd an outcrop- ping of the God element in man, not for the gratiﬁca- tion of that element. Oh, no! but for the purpose thereby of inducing certain conditions that would place it in harmonious relations. Scout the idea as you may; deem it absurd, if you wish; say, “Fana- ticism run wild,” it‘ you choose; still the God element in man will constantly work for conditions suitable for its nature, whether in the ﬁeld of Virtue or Vice.” ’ The term “God element” plainly im. plies Materialism; hence it would be more proper to term the “ Harmonial Philoso- phy ” the Zllaterial Philosophy; but what is the tendency of this spiritualistic teach- ing, that “Virtue is the sister of Vice?” that Virtue and Vice meet and caress? that they love each other? and are “both equally commendable in the sight of God?” and, further, that “ licentiousness is an outcropping of the God element in man?” Saying nothing of the celibacy of TI-IE SHAKER. 51 Believers, who “stand” on Mount Zion,” in the-Resurrection life, it seems strange to us, that clean people anywhere can encourage such teaching; and stranger, that the “Banner of Light ” could en- dorse and extravagantly praise this R. P. Journal, and personally laud the editor. The following occurs in the R. P. Journal of _March 6, 1869: “ In the inebriate, in the licentious, the essence of the “ God is love,“ glistens beautifully, though only seen by angels’ eyes; and the day is not far distant when its rough exterior shall be washed away, and its heavenly ‘brilliance will be visible even to our eyes. Man does not stand in the relation of a subject to God; but as a part and parcel of him; owing no allegiance but to the God element of his nature. and worshiping no God except by obeying the promptings Within.” In the paragraph quoted above this, the editor tells us, that “ We find an out- cropping of the God element in the l2'centi- ous ; ” and, in this last paragraph, he assures us that “Mizn owes no allegiance but to the God element of his nature.” We have only to say, that we hope this class of Spiritualists practises better than these journals preach. As a body of Believers, seeking to live as Jesus lived, by dying to the earthy, that We may live the heavenly life, we make but little pretension to mere literary or scientiﬁc accuracy; but, be it far from us to ever publish, as original, such matter as is contained in the above-quoted paragraphs. . VVith this kind of Spiritualism, Believ- ers cannot have the least fellowship. It is from beneath, “earthly and sensual:” the life lived is the test. Some Spiritualists, however, are among the excellent of the earth; they are not far from the kingdom of heaven——not far from becoming Shakers, though calling themselves Spiritualists. We speak of the masses of Spiritualists, and ask, in all sincerity and humility, if their lives are as pure and godly asthose of Believers; or even as pure and orderly as those of Swedenborgians and Unitarians? Does not irreligion and a scoﬁing spirit prevail extensively among the devotees of Spirit- ualism? “ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.” In our view, then, Spiritualism is one of the elements of Babylon—Christendom; and belongs to the image of the beast——— Protestantism. It is the “ Angel of Light” re-establishing the communication between this earth and the general spirit world ; Which, for reasons set forth in previous articles, the early Protestants, as a matter of protection, had broken oil. The Shaker Order, standing in the name, 2'. e., character, of Jesus and Ann, on the foundation of spiritual celibacy, has power with God to govern all spiritual manifestations, and to incorporate S];z'rz'2f- ualism as one of its elements, assigning it its proper place——the Church of God in ITS day of manzfestazion; and to its right use-——the saving of human beings from causes of unhappiness, and leading them to a joyful recognition of, and baptism into, all Scientiﬁc, Moral, and Spiritual Truth. God, My Father and Mother. The perversion of the social organism in humanity, renders it a difficult task for any to form complete ideas of the social relations in the heavenly world. Physical reproduction, even in its most exalted conditions, new forms only a very imperfect type of the heavenly reality, wherein souls are begotten and born into Godliness ; and to feel the truth that “we must be born again,” evidences the process of the true resurrection. Our earthly affections are strong; but these are gross when compared with the felicity of that harmony in which Angels dwell. That God is our Father and Mother, is a truth advancing upon, and sup- planting much ancient theology. Thoughts that the social relation is maintained in the heavens, leads us to feel that there is nought on the earth, but would be a vulgar expression of God’s paternal and maternal solicitude. Man was imperfect when existing in nature without his helpmeet, Woman; for only a part of Deity was represented. As in the physical world, so in the spiritual heavens and earth; the Godhead must be fully represented—male and female-—angelic man and woman.. Yet, there is a peculiar philosophy in many existing theologies that recognizes God only as Father, and then, blindly trusts Omnipo- tence, to balance the incongruity of a home without a Mother, as well it may! Here We have the reason of female misrepresenta.tion’in the nations; and the denial of her individual rights, other than being subordinate to what- ever desires prompted her lord, master, hus- band. The knowledge that woman is repre- sented in Deity,‘will yet place her in the true position upon the earth, in the natural family; even as she enjoys it now, with those who have chosen to live on earth as the Angels do in heaven. When man was formed, his model was in the heavens; as really so was woman’s; “let us make man in our image,” and male and femalewere the results. And now, were not “the invisible things of God, clearly seen by the things that are made, even the eternal power and Godhead,” still we feel the heavenly inﬂuences of a Mother’s love descending from the throne of Deity, while the wise counsels of the Father are ever attendant upon those who “seek that wisdom that cometh from above.” CHAUNCY. (Shakers, N . Y.) As the cause of dishonor is often very small, while I the eﬂect is beyond expression ; thereforebe guarded in little things ; even in conversation we might drop Words that are unwise. VVe seldom repent of saying too little. “’Tis the little foxes that destroy the vines.” Wherefore, professedly Christian friends, are there rich members and poor members of any Church- Brethren and Sisters Q!) and yet sharing so unequally? Poor Christianity! * Life in God—No. 2. In the innumerable objects which meet our senses, the best exponent, or representative of the Supreme Being, IS THE SUN. It is a ruling physical power, around which other bodies of less magnitude circulate and congregate; seem- ingly dependent on him, for their periods and places in the heavens. Without the permeating inﬂuence of light and heat, human beings and the lower orders of creation could not exist; and they are equally dependent on the same source for the vegetable products on which they subsist. Thus on the sun there is a necessary depen- dence for life, and the continuance of being for animal and vegetable life, whether in the atmosphere, water, or on the earth. Taken as a whole, as far as our observation extends, there is a perfect adaptation between the Sun, and the beings and products of earth. In the structure of the human organization, how wonderful and beautiful are the adaptation of light to the structure of the eye——the most marvelous piece of mechanism—through which, man is made acquainted with the sur- rounding concomitants of earth; the sun itself; the solar system; and lastly, with its compan- ions of the universe. Continuing the concatena- tion, by induction, we are carried through the universe, the workshop of the Great Work- man, to the Supreme Architect. For, there can be no design without a designer, whose wonderful intelligence and creative power have planned, and put into successful operation, these astonishing combinations of mind and matter! For there can be no design or adap- tation, for speciﬁc purposes, without intelli- gence. Nothing in vain: A complete whole! Having taken a superﬁcial glance at the wonders, let us take a more speciﬁc view of the astonishing connection between the sun and the human organ of light: The rays of light coming in straight lines pass into the eye, after coming many millions of miles, through a transparent medium; bringing with them the sun himself, together with his in- numerable blessings! For, Whether the sun accompanies the rays of light and heat, or- remains in his place, in the center of the solar system, the effect comes down-. to-. us in his majesty _; and the inﬂuences and! grand design. are accomplished! We see the sun, feel his genial: inﬂuence, and know that he is present with: us,'giving and sustaining life, in his deputed: agency ! But of the eye, how admirable, beautiful and efﬁcient the contrivance; a living mirror to admit the creation of God! The images of surrounding objects come with imperceptible speed, in the pencils of light, which far surpass electricity! Yet, we know the goods have come, for they are safely stored in the Warehouse of the. human mind; but without the‘ discriminating inﬂuence, at the entrance of the port, in the form of a lens, all the merchandise brought to us, would be stored in utter confusion! We should be unable to distinguish the moon from a star; a man from a horse, etc. ; but this lens makes every object show itself, and pay duty 52 THE SHAKER. before passing into the warehouse of the human sensorium. But to speak more scientiﬁcally : the lens has the power of separating the colors by refraction, leaving only enough to represent the animal or tree, and reﬂecting these colors on the animal or tree, so as to make it specific, and give identity; then the object passes upon the optic nerve, or retina—the white black- board-——and there is a positive horse, and oak tree, to the human understanding. We recog- nize these objects, but are utterly unable to see the hand, brush, or pallet impainting the wonders of nature! We may now consider the oﬁice and struc- ture of the organ of hearing, or, rather, make a guess at the miraculous performances con- nected with the human ear! Passing in, by the oriﬁce of the ear, we ﬁnd at the end a thin, clear membrane, in the shape of a watch crystal, and looking like one, with the round to the portal; under it there is a nerve called the auditory nerve; it is about the size of a babe’s little ﬁnger, reaching out of the brain, and nearly touching the crystal drum; sound presses the drum down on the auditory nerve; the nerve conveys the impres- sion to the brain, and the mysteries of thought are formed or elaborated in the human mind! Between the ear and the surrounding atmos- phere, there is an inseparable connection: like light, the atmosphere comes full freighted with innumerable objects in the form of sound, and passing in at the oriﬁce of the ear, form in the mind all the complicated ideas of the living, outward world of want, pleasure or pain, and myriads of ideas, which can come in no other way at the time. The inspired Orator, in the dark, may pour into our souls a volume of sound, which will make every ﬁbre in our bodies tremble like a leaf. After the blindness of St. Paul, he heard the sound of his Saviour’s voice, which renovated his soul, and made him a new man! And the voice of Ananias gave him more pleasure, and heartfelt satisfaction, than all his previous knowledge: he had heard the voice; it was enough! But of the marvelous and inscrutable con- trivance, for the separation of sounds, so as to give the innumerable sensations of music their diﬂ"erent chords and parts, we may not pretend to a discrimination ; much less to give an idea of the intonations of the human voice in all the vicissitudes of changing life, infused into the tympanum, the nerve of sound in connec- tion, and it again with the brain, and the brain with the mind, thought and intelligence. The living voice of human beings, of beasts, birds and insects, all come to the human intel- ligence, on the undulations of the atmosphere, all riding on the wind into the human port, and knock for entrance, and the porter receives their cards or device, and reports to his Lord, as the case may be. But the question arises, how does the discrimination of the living audi- tory know each succeeding new—comer and his intentions ? The mysteries of feeling, tasting and smell- ing are equally inscrutable! Now, let man pass into himself, by any of the senses, and tell his fellows how this com- plicated machinery operates to give man all his knowledge of physics, metaphysics; includ- ing the knowledge he has obtained or conceived of the Great Prototype, and his revelation to his children. Is it possible that nonentity, or no cause, should be the cause of all these wonders! If we are to suppose, in the precincts of eternity, an epoch without mind or intelligence, it is to deny intelligence altogether. Matter, whether created or eternal, is with- out intelligence; it can have no design; no organization; neither wisdom nor power in- herent, for any rational creation. “The fool saith there is no God.” Men, who have denied the Eternal, and groping in worse than Egyptian darkness, talk to us of the ﬁrst great principles coming into congruity, adaptation, and organization: But principles are nothing, only as they are the inherent em- anations of a being of intelligence and design. Computation, or the combination of num- bers, cannot obtain without the mathematician; he combines numbers, and gives them their utility and powers, here in time. But where is the man of elementary and chaotic combina- tions, for the production of divine intelligence, and the wonders of the universe? Let him produce some of the wonder-Working machin- ery, under the illuminations of his phosphor- escent chandelier ! VERITAS. Humility-—No. 2. Why art thou displeased with the censures of men, or elated with their praise? Thou art just what thou art; praise makes thee no bet- ter, nor can censure make thee worse. Oh Flattery! base ﬂattery! Thou art uni- versally despised in Word; but deep down in the hidden recesses of the heart, every one secretly cherisheth thee: Yea, thou art swal- lowed with avidity and goeth down like oil. Strange that a worm should like to hear himself pronounced an Angel! He that speaks degradingly of himself and of his performances is quite likely ﬁshing for praise; and they that are wise will not catch at the bait. , There are many who are Well pleased with offices and titles of distinction, but those who. eschew them, do not wish to be thought inca- pable or unworthy. A However mean we may feel in ourselves, we do not like to have others think us so. It is a great Christian attainment to become so dear to self, as to love to be contemned, and to rejoice when all men speak evil of us. If thou hast an enemy, consider diligently his reproaches, and thou mayest be much in- structed; he will search out thy faults more faithfully than many friends. Thou livest very abstemiously and on coarse fare. Dost thou therefore think thou deserv- est extra reward? Verily such as thou hast is quite as good as thou deservest—should a dependent, a pauper, talk of compensation. A very common motive for speaking of the demerits of others, is to set one’s self forth to greater advantage. How selﬁsh and con- temptible! Who so desires‘ to be delivered from pride, must avoid every means of indulging it. Antiochus Epiphanes boasting himself against God, and assuming to himself divine honors, was smitten with a noisome disease Which terminated in his death. Before he ex- pired, he was brought so far to his senses, as to exclaim : “ It is meet to be subject to God; and man, who is mortal, should not think of himself proudly as if he were God.” 0 when shall I see the great and Wonderful Work of God on the earth? just as soon as thou canst apprehend that His work consists in little things. Will nothing satisfy you but converting worlds? You shall be content to plait straws. A wise man said, “An empty spirit God will ﬁll.” VVe cannot be ﬁlled with God till emptied of self; we cannot be emptied of self, till we deny self, and in deep humility and self-abnegation ﬁnd a complete death to a selﬁsh nature. We need not be deceived and think self is dead when it is not; for as long as we can perceive within us an aspiring disposition, self-will, self-seeking or the least movement contrary to the will and order of God, we may be assured that self is yet alive. That which hath in it the power of motion undoubtedly hath life. “ The cup that my Father hath given me,” said Jesus, “shall I not drink it?” Again he said to Pilate, “ Thou couldst have no power at all against me, unless it had been given thee from above. Thus showing his full faith that his heavenly Father was the source of all power—-the controller of all wants, and that he must humbly and patiently submit. “Though Jesus was a son, yet learned he obedience by the things he suffered.” Shall the servant be greater than his master? Nay, verily; yet every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 0 when shall I learn to rejoice in tribulation and to take joyfully every thing that goes to break up and destroy the king- dom of self within me, and make room for him to reign whose right it is! The kingdom of self, is opposed to the king- dom of God; and His reign cannot be perfected within me till self is completely subjugated; let the word be given: “Joshua, arise and begin to contend with him in battle.” 0 that the true Joshua may arise in my _ soul and drive out the old inhabitants of the land, that the kingdom may be the Lord’s. If we truly desire humility we must at least abstain from all occasions of pride and ostenta- tion. Should a woman dress herself in all the trappings of fashion, and then go through divers bodily gestures to shake off pride, who would believe in her sincerity? How inconsistent to dress in ﬁne and costly apparel and then get on bended knees to pray for humility. The ancients, when they desired to humble themselves, rent their garments, put on sack- cloth and sometimes strewed themselves with ashes. Fine houses, costly equipage, and ﬁne dress, all tend to destroy humility, exalt the sense, and bring the owners into unison of feeling with Nebuchadnezzar when in the pride of his THE SHAKER. 53 heart he exclaimed: “ Is not this Great Baby- lon that I have builded? 0 that I were wholly released from desiring the praise or dreading the dispraise of men; then I would be truly devoted to do the will of God. ' By how much thou lovest the honor of men, by so much thou art the veriest slave; a slave to the most inexorable tyrant. Because thou hast found the honor that cometh of men to be capricious, and not worth seeking, thou shoulclst not therefore become reckless to virtuous actions, but shouldst the more diligently seek that honor which comes from God only. It would be unjust as well as unreasonable to forsake God and virtue on account of the faults and frailties of men. So far as thou discoverest in thyself a feeling of disregard to the way of righteousness, when stung with the ingratitude and unjust censures of men, from whom thou hast expected esteem and approbation, so far thou mayest be certain that thy motives have been selﬁsh and impure. He that freely gives up all, that he may enjoy God alone, having nothing left that men desire or can take from him—-nothing for which to contend-will have abundance of peace. I O Heavenly Father my soul is blessed! I feel satisﬁed with thy goodness! yet suffer me not to indulge in any self—complacency. I know that if I am full, it is out of thy fullness; if I am strong, it is in thy strength; if I am ~rich, it is in the enjoyment of thy bounty; of myself I continually tend to nothing. My Strength is weakness; my fullness is but an eﬂlux of vanity, and my riches but a store of diversiﬁed evils. He that seeks to honor God in all he does, Will be satisﬁed with an approving conscience though all men rise up against him and cast his name out as evil. As diamonds, gold, and all the precious stones and metals, are the. slow and gradual formations of nature in the most secret recesses of her retired operations; so the most glorious and excellent virtues are wrought by divine influence in the silent abstraction and stillness of the soul, while it shuts out the rude inﬂu- ences of all external things; and is wholly concealed from the curious gaze of “outward observation.” However deep and clear have been my own convictions at any time of my own degraded and sinful state, yet I have never ceased to implore for myself the mercy of God; and shall I censure and be inexorable to the faults of others? Shall I ask the mercy of God for myself‘, and expect him to be so partial as to grant it, and join with me in despising and rejecting my poor offending brother? If I love my brother as myself, this cannot be; and if I do not, then am I a rebel against God who has commanded me thus to,do, and, as such, cannot justly hope for his mercy. “Forgive,” said Christ, “and thou shalt be forgiven.” When one of my brethren offends and Wrongs another, how easily can I forgive him! But if he has injured me how is the case altered!‘ How it sticks in the mind! Why is this? If I loved my brother as myself this could not be. Nay; if I loved God with all my heart I could not thus feel; I should only be sorry that my brother had sinned against the good spirit of our Heavenly Father, and thus injured himself. I should be more grieved for the sin of the offender than for the offence of the sinner. If when one brother offends another, I am comparatively but little excited, and the same offence committed against myself highly agitates me; will not this show my want of humility-—my great self—importance, and that I esteem myself far above my brother? Things esteemed of the highest importance necessarily excite the deepest interest, and that in very exact proportion. How very im- portant then, is my character in comparison with my brother’s, when I can quietly hear him traduced, while the least thing derogatory to myself, arouses all my indignation? Speak, Lord. for thy servant heareth. 0 teach me the truth respecting myself! Hum- ble me ; prostrate me in the dust, that I may depend no more on self, or on any mere human sagacity, but on the power and gift of God. If I were only a worm, I might well crawl in the dust; but I am by nature a corrupt and sinful worm, and should, like Job, “abhor my selﬁsh nature in dust and ashes,” and sub- mit it to the just abhorrence of all intelligences. Who am I, that I should resent reproach and scorn, or complain of injustice? Is it possible that injustice can be done to such a lawless nature, except it be by suffering it to escape merited contempt! Away with complaints; I have ever been blest more than I deserved; and if there were not an inﬁnite fountain of goodness-unmerited goodness, a measure of which is extended to me——I should now be most destitute. We should never consider ourselves suffi- ciently humble, till we can hear ourselves traduced and slandered without being agitated and losing our serenity of mind. How completely ineffectual and abortive are all the efforts of men to destroy the peace of that soul, who, redeemed from the earth, and dead to self, desires neither the honor of men nor the pleasures of sense; who, disregarding all censure, “rejoices to have his name cast out as evil for Christ’s sake,” and places his whole conﬁdence in the gift of God and his whole happiness in doing the Divine will! Some men exhort others to humility, that they may the better serve themselves of them; yet is the humble man inﬁnitely more happy than his proud oppressor. Flee honor, and she will pursue you; seek her and she will conceal herself from your search. I When blind Bartimeus heard that Jesus called him, such was his eagerness to receive sight, that he cast away his mantle, that he might hasten to Christ! 0 that I may thus cast away whatever would in the least hinder my coming to the Saviour; that, poor, blind- and naked, I may prostrate myself wholly at his feet, and receive the true inward light of his Spirit; that being thus enlightened I may “follow him in the way,” till I become fully imbued with his “meek and lowly” temper and disposition of soul. Thus I shall be en- lightened by the Truth; enriched with Love, and clothed with Humility. “ Learn of me,” ‘said Jesus, “ for I am meek and lowly, and ye shall ﬁnd rest to your souls.” Then, as Humility gives peace and rest to the soul, he enjoys most happiness from it that is the most humble. R. W. P. Plain Ta1ks—No. 4. Eternal Life. Shakerism is Christianity to us; and Chris- tianity is eternal life. Jesus, as really enjoyed eternal life before his cruciﬁxion, as after- wards. The same is the truth with his dis- ciples, regardless in what age they live. Love may be a veritable mark of disciple- ship; but the grand feature of a Christian is the ever-present possession of eternal life! death they never will experience. “If any one will keep my sayings, he never shall see death.” Death is the wages of sin; there is no sin in Christ, nor in good Christians. “To be carnally minded is death,” but this belongs not to the Christian’s life. The ele- ments of the world, are death to the Chris- tian’s_soul; but these are supplanted by the life Christ lived, and this was eternal life. I The lusts of the ﬂesh and of the mind deny us the life the Angels are living—eternal life; but, cruciﬁed unto the world, as Jesus was ere he ascended the scaﬁbld on Calvary, we become possessors of a new life, Angel life; and Angels on earth, are already Angels in heaven. The true followers of Christ ﬂinch not at the cross that cruciﬁes their ﬂeshly lusts, know- ing “these are not of the Father, but of the world.” Christ invites us to eternal life; his life was a renunciation of those practices that cannot be engaged in by those who would enjoy life—eternal life. What is eternal life? It is a heavenly, unchangeable, unending condition. The glory of those, not of Christ, is to save the life that must needs change, before eternal life can be experienced; and while many are aware of this truth, they are unable, unwilling to renounce the world, ﬂesh and devil, to be sharers of eternal life. In eternal life there are no husbands nor wives; no private property nor selﬁsh rela- tions; no war, poverty nor slavery; but the eternal life of the heavens puts these into oblivion. VVhat was there in the virgin life of Christ that needed to change to be eternal, or what is there in any purely virgin character? Let the world of humanity plead for ﬂeshly indulgences; let them solemnize their marri- ages of the ﬂesh, and direct their churches to wink at their private indulgences (of which, it would be a shame to speak), we declare the same to be the works of darkness and of death, abominable in the sight of God for professing Christians to practice-—disgraceful for the heathen! The acceptance of eternal life will be forced work by-the-bye; for, when the opportunities of physical indulgences are cut short by the mortuary process, the mind, writhing in the pain of past incontinence, will accept the situation ; but can never be in pos- session of those sweets of eternal life, rightly belonging to those who have made willing sacriﬁces of themselves, unto a life of sin and death. . * 54: THE sI—1AK"ER Thoughts on True Love. “ In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Col. 2:3. Jesus, who was baptized with_ the Christ Spirit, was our Exemplar. He ministered to his disciples True Love. He taught them how to love and what to love, and what not to love. He said, “Love your enemies. If ye love them which love you, what thank have ye?” Worldly lovers—those who do not profess the Christian name—-can love when their love is reciprocated ; this is Policy. But to love our enemies, those who would return cursing for blessing, and learn to pray for those who would thus use us——th-is is Principle. The one is natural, the other spiritual——the world versus Christianity. The principle of self- denial runs through all the teachings of Jesus; and the love which worketh no ill to neighbor, friend, or foe, whatever provocation may be given, will fulﬁll the whole Gospel law; it will cause its possessor to depart from the iniquity of loving falsely, for the sake of emolument, or pleasure, as well as for all unrighteous doings. If our love is centered in God, then we have a basis to rest upon. True love is self-sustained; it is free from guile, and is not mixed with fear, lest some adverse wind or storm should arise that would sweep away its foundation; but perfect love is devoid of fear. We can trust it, for it is unselﬁsh; it is not precarious nor circumstantial, like the perverted passion called love. If we are well grounded in the principle of love, we shall never be dis- tressed nor unhappy because we think our friends grow cold—hearted towards us; but, if we feel the tide of love ebbing, then it is well for us to examine our characters, and see if we cannot make ourselves more attractive and lovely, by being more virtuous, striving more to have the image of Christ formed in us. . For, if we become his true sons and daughters, he will open his treasures unto us; we may draw therefrom; and the same virtuous prin- ciples which made him the chief object of beauty and loveliness among ten thousand, if practiced by us, will produce the same beauty in us. Notwithstanding we are admonished to “love our enemies, to bless and curse not,” we must not love indiscriminately. We are as expressly commanded to hate, as to love. But we should learn to both love and hate under- standingly, and from a good conscience; to love whatever is virtuous, that is healthy for soul and body. Sin is hateful, in the sight of God, because it deforms the soul, and destroys its noblest faculties; leads it away from truth, from God, its home. He is the Source, and should be the center of all souls. Vile should never love nor hate from momentary impulse. Charity should ever be the handmaid of love. If we would judge righteously of others, we must take into consideration conditions of birth, fortune, education. We cannot justly measure all by one rule; the same degree of abstract truth, if applied to some persons, would blight and destroy; while to others, who are prepared by previous culture and growth, it would be a great blessing. Charity would teach us to be gentle to others; not to magnify faults in them, by evil thinking nor speaking; but to be more lenient to the faults of others, than to our own. And if a brother or sister errs, according to our concep- tions of right, if we possess true love, guided by charity, we will, in many cases, see that the cause of their failure is the result of false educations, which they had not yet outgrown, rather than willful neglect. better to take them kindly by the hand and lift them up into more progressed conditions ; show them by example and word, a more ex- cellent way, than to denounce and say, “ stand off; I am more holy than thou!” “Love is the fulﬁlling of the law.” “ Whatsoever We sow we shall reap.” If we sow Love, Peace and Charity, we will thereby increase our capacity to love, by enlarging the sphere of our affections ; and as we love better, ourselves become objects more worthy to be loved, and thus we shall attract the good and the pure unto us, and from them reap the desired harvest. ENFIELD, Conn. Declaration and Caution to the Public. BY THE UNITED SOCIETIES CALLED SHAKERS. Whereas, circumstances have occurred andimay again occur whereby the public are liable to be imposed upon by persons professing to act as authorized Agents for the Society of ‘Shakers in some of its branches or families, who presume to make contracts, and obtain money, or other property on credit, from persons, or companies who may suppose the Society to be responsible for the fulﬁllment of such contracts. Therefore, the duly constituted Au- thorities of the several Shaker Societies, throughout the land, do hereby give notice to all whom it may concern, that, in ac- cordance with principles taught by the ﬁrst founders of this Society called Shak- ers, the members thereof shall owe no man anything but love and good will, and pay this debt as often as the slightest opportunity serves. This principle is comprised in the writ- ten Covenant of the Institution, and con- ﬁrmed and established by the agreement and signature of all its members; by which no individual is authorized to con- tract any debt, in the name of the Insti- tution, or any business connection which can, by any means, render the Society responsible for their transactions. Nor will the Society be under obligations to liquidate any demands, of Notes, Bonds, or any other security or obliga- tion given iu its name, incurring debt for value received, either by the trustees thereof or of any other individual; but such individual or individuals shall be held responsible for their own transactions. Notices of these principles have been several times published, in the name and by the authorities of the several branches Then‘, how much; of the United Society called “Shakers.” But, it appears they are not so extensively known as they ought to be, to prevent frauds, and impositions of that nature. It is therefore expedient again to give this public Notice, in the name, and by the Authorities of the United Societies, with a request that it may be extensively published, for the information of all, who may, at any time, be concerned in dealing with Members, or professed members of this Community. Subscribed to by Presiding Ministry and Trustees of all the United Societies of Shakers, who are in Covenant Relation. ~ May 23, 1871. No'rE.—Any debts which may have heretofore been incurred by any oﬂlcial Agents of the United Society in any of its branches, the benefits whereof have been received and acknowledged by any family or Society of this Institution, if paid at all. as a matter of justice to the creditor or creditors who may have been igno- rant of the laws of the Institution at the time such debt was contracted; or in lenity to the contractors of such debt, will be paid only under the protest of the United Society, through its Authorities, as in contravention of its laws and constitution. Ministry of New Lebanon, N. Y. JUVENILE DEPARTMENT. DEAR SHAKER :—-I wish to say a few words to some one, vvhomsoever it may concern; but hope it may be one, who is not over 20 years of age,—on the subject of human advancement to better and higher conditions. I hope, also, hereby to elicit a kind response fromany one of youthful years, who may deem this worthy the notice of a reply. I think there is a natural and irrepressible desire in every one, regardless how wicked and degraded, to better their conditions, in some way, physically, mentally or spiritually. Indeed, most persons in their moments of sober reflection, wish they were, or could be improved in all directions. Perhaps, there is no human being in existence, who does not possess this instinctive desire to progress. It is more than probable that, upon this little spark of deiﬁc goodness in the soul, depends the only hope of salvation; that is, an ultimate development in perfect holiness. Some persons of a very low, and unfortunate organization, may pass many years without discovering to themselves, or others, this in- stinct of progress ; but it is no less in existence, and only needs to have its lips touched by a coal from the altar of heaven’s inspiration, to resurrect it into palpable consciousness and activity. How this was brought about in my case, while I was quite young, I will try to describe in this article. I was neither very good, nor very bad, in my youthful days; but frequently my attention was called to some particular virtue, trait, or characteristic of progress and improvement, in some person, which I felt I was in want of. If such persons had a sweet, pleasant way of inculcating the advantages of possessing such good quality, or trait, I im- mediately fell in love with the beauty and pro- priety thereof; and if they still further exem- THE SHAKER . 55 plified the sweetness, and heavenly worth, of such good virtue, then I was quite captivated thereby, and would resolve immediately to adopt into my practical life, such valuable and soul-renovating treasure! I remember of reading the life ‘of Francis Lewis Carnaro, an Italian nobleman, who ex- celled in the virtue of Temperance, as well as many other excellent qualities of character: 0 how I was charmed and delighted with his experience! and how strongly I resolved to be temperate! He had a beautiful way of show- ing up the advantages of a temperate, peaceful life. I read Dr. Franklin’s inimitable “ Biogra- phy,’_’ and how I wished I could follow along in his footsteps of industry and economical ways. Again, I recollect, once, when about 14 years of age, and although so young, under many heavy trials and temptations to a sinful life, of unmanly passion and pleasure, that I chan- ced to go to one of the families of Believers, more advanced than the one I lived in, on some little errand. As I approached, I saw a Brother stirring hay, in the dooryard. I passed at some distance from him, and with- out speaking; but I distinctly recollect what were my thoughts, at the time: “This good Brother has fought the good ﬁght, and the conﬂict is over! The evening of his days is being spent in peaceful meditations upon all those earlier trials, sorrows and victories of youth, which, though bitter to bear, are so sweet to remember! He can now safely and serenely repose on the green shore of the sea of life, and listen to the far-off booming of the thunder, and the roar of the billows, and fear- ful surges of sorrow and temptation, which with him are over, and gone forever! How sweet! How peaceful! What a good thing it was that he made the passage safely. He is now at rest, while I am so tossed and terri- ﬁed by the storms and tempests of passions unhallowed, and constant temptation to sin, that I am more than three-fourths of my time in uncontrollable sorrow and tears, and con- stant struggles to ward off the terrible catas- trophe of a ﬁnal surrender to actual, hopeless perdition! ” These were my solemn reﬂections ; but not- withstanding the dreadful weight of tribulation I was then under, the sight of this good old veteran, in his clean shirt, dark pants and blue satin vest, ﬁlled me for the time, and for a considerable period after, with a great calm; his sphere, and serene spirit psychologized me for several days—nerving me to still greater exertions, if possible, to make my calling and election sure; and culminate, as I felt he had done, in complete victory and peace! And, my young friend, though I do by no means feel boastful, nor egotistical, yet for your encouragement and comfort, allow me to announce to you, that I am now occupying the same position, on the same green, peaceful shore, that my veteran exemplar occupied, when I passed in sight of him, forty years ago. And if these thoughts, and these little reminis- cences of my past actual experience, will do you any good, I shall be glad of it. Remember, I am praying for you all the time, that beyond and above all other con- siderations, you may somehow ﬁnd ample ability to live a pure, sinless life; and that your solemn journey toward a higher, holier plane, may culminate in Everlasting Peace! Yours affectionately, O. 0. HAMPTON. Henry C. Blinn to the Young. Accepting the kind offer of “ THE SHAKER,” we have joined company with those who are interested in the “Juvenile Department.” Kindly thank you, dear Editor, for bearing us in remembrance. We ﬁnd our spirit closely conjoined to yours, in the hope that our little paper may be a home educator; hence the necessity of a department for the young, one where the children and youth will be as well represented as are the theologians in other sections of the paper. A thorough understanding of the elementary principles, is the securing of a good foundation upon which to build a permanent superstruc- ture VVhile our superiors are earnestly con- tending for the faith and devctedly advocating their religious views, we may be as acceptably engaged on the subject of good behavior and moral deportment. We should not only be interested in these for our own especial beneﬁt, but at the same time for the blessing it confers upon others. “Suffer little children to come unto me,” is the voice of parental care. The spirit of this should indelibly form its impression upon the mind. Good children. Virtuous youth. With what satisfaction we are led to express these titles of affectionate regard. VVe are influenced to this, in part, from the manifestation of the good spirit that dwells with you at the present time, and also, from the anxious hope of what you may be in more mature years. Now, the question arises, whose names'shall we write under the above titles? Shall it be the boy or girl who does not use vulgar or im- proper language? Shall we write the names of those who “never told a lie,” or of those who have never taken anything from father, mother, brother or sister, without their con- sent? Poor children! we fear the names would be few, indeed, if you submitted to this examination. VVhat shall we do? VVel1, all my young friends may consider themselves as the ones addressed. Not only those who have been called good and virtuous, but we will also include that class who may not have earned a public expression of this title. The “best boy” or girl may have done wrong, a few times, while the “Worst boy” or girl have no doubt been credited with one or more kind and generous acts. A close self- examination into the motives which inﬂuenced you to do, or not to do, can be the only test of your goodness. A Do as well as you have learned, and you will find many willing friends to assist you. \Vhen we say that it is easier to be good, than it is to be wicked; that it is easier to tell the truth, than to tell afalsehood; that it requires no greater effort to speak a kind word, than it does to speak an unkind word, we simply tell you what experience has taught many who have gone before you. Try it. Be kind to the aged, and be respectful to all. Always speak the truth! No matter what you may have done ! Never conceal it under false stories. Speak the truth! One misrepresentation will lead the way to another, and every false word carries you farther and farther from a correct statement, and you are less able to acknowl- edge the truth by an honest confession. By all means, speak the truth! In connection with the above, we ﬁnd this, generally, to be the case. Those who tell falsehoods will steal! If you would sustain a good character, never take that which does not belong to you. If you wish to.possess it, ask for it. If your request is not granted, you may be disappoint- ed, but if you have any respect for yourself, or love for your friends, do not steal! False and wicked stories will grow from it, which may not only injure you for the society of the good, but may at the same time bring hours of sorrow to those who have taken a deep interest in your welfare. If you have ever told that which is untrue, honestly confess it before your father or mother, or before those who are acting as your guardians. If you have ever taken that which did not belong to you, return it to the owner, if possible, and then make an honest confession of it, and promise never to do so again. Be very careful of your words and actions, lest you acquire these bad habits and lose the honor of a good name. Beware, young friends, of the ﬁrst temptations to do Wrong. They may lead to a ruinous practice. H, C, B, AGRICULTURAL. By some, it is thought, a few columns of our paper can be proﬁtably devoted to Agriculture, Horticul- ture, Mechanics, etc., though we are not among the number, we open to those who are anxious, and ask future writers to send only good, practical hints in the fewest possible words. ‘ * Stirring the Soil Essential to Plant Growth. The season of preparing soils for the growth of plants, and putting the seed into the ground being passed, the prospective crop must now depend not merely on the season (though a good season is essential to a good crop), but largely on the cultivation of the plants. When a boy we worked in the garden, and nine summers of our minority were devoted to the culture, principally of culinary vegetables, medicinal plants, and roots; grape vines, and the seeds of culinary vegetables! Our leader was a reader and admirer of William Cobbett (the English gardener, farmer, lawyer, author and statesman), and we were constantly taught to be trying Oobbett’s plans of gardening, as well as to devise originals to excell Cobbett if possible; and, sometimes we did excell him; and some- times we found, by experience, that we were ignoramuses, relative to the economy of plant growth. But we succeeded in learning how to raise some plants, to say the least of it, to excellence, if not perfection; among these, we will name cabbages, onions, cucumbers and many others. Brigham Young makes it a. first lesson in Mormon religion when the Believer has mi- grated to Utah, to learn to raise a cabbage. The lesson is a. good one, and we will give our 56 version of it. Premising, that all plants derive most of their nourishment from the atmos- phere, until they begin to perfect their seeds, then they draw fromythe soil. But to our lesson: How to raise a cabbage and an onion. First, The plants should be sown in a bed of ﬁne, rich loam; after coming up, thinned to at least one inch apart; second, before trans- planting, which should not be done until the plants are ‘six inches high, and stocky, water the plants until the soil is quite wet; select a moist atmosphere to remove the plants in; having, in all cases freshly and deeply stirred the soil with plough or spade, take up the plants with a trowel or shingle, lifting them carefully With as much earth as possible cling- ing to their rootlets; dig a hole with the tool, much larger than the root is to occupy and set in the plant, ﬁlling around the root with ﬁne fresh earth; press lightly around the roots; after a few days’ standing, hoe the ground about the plants; if the weather is very dry, every morning, when the dew is on the plant, as the roots drink in aerial nourishment as Well as the broad leaves. We have known the finest cabbages raised in this way, even in very dry seasons, when cabbages not thus treated, but hoed only three or four times during the season, made no heads at all! Never hoe cabbages, in very hot and dry Weather, after the dew is gone! Dig around a cabbage deeply; but never stir deeply the soil about an onion; simply scrape the surface of the soil, and keep clean of weeds. Of course, if you are no novice, you will never sow onions on coarse, hard, lumpy, wet soil; nor on any soil which is not ‘very rich; as well plant beans in lake Erie! The very frequent stirring of the soil is also essential to raising good vines, as cucumbers and melons; and the best crops are raised on a heavily manured sod, inverted just before planting, and thoroughly pulverized with the harrow. As the seed of plants draws most of its nutriment from the soil, good, full, plump seeds cannot be grown without strong soil, or much manure; thrifty plants may be produced, but not good seed ! The gist of this lesson is, ﬁrst, that soils, like the leaves of plants, drink in plant nutri- tion from the atmosphere, if stirred frequently and kept loose and friable; second, that the mouths of the rootlets drink up this nourish- ment from the atmosphere under these circum- stances, as the leaves doithe dew-s. .Beans.—Never hoe them when the dew or rain is upon them nor when the soil is wet; it burns them like a fire. Stir the soil often when the soil and plants are dry. A ﬁeld of beans last summer planted on poor soil with- out manure, had no hoeing, excepting one row; the crop was small, but double on the hoed row, than on either side. What was the cause? Somebody ought to tell us this in coming numbers of the paper; and, dear Editor, they should tell us too, that each and all kinds of manure are not equally well adapted to each and all kinds of plants; they should tell us, that, while horse manure, and the droppings of fowls are good for corn and cucumbers, they are not so good for Asparagus, as the manure from horned cattle, and why. There is much dear Editor that “THE SHAKER” might teach on agriculture, and agricultural chemistry, the adaptation of soils and manures to plants; the preparation of soils for plants; the management of manures. This article though it breaks the ground in the Agricultural ﬁeld of “THE SHAKER” is not written as a model, but to open the ﬁeld for better and more work. G. B. A., Mt. L. Agriculture. The important and exhaustless subject of agriculture necessarily has large claims on our attention. Though one man may not exactly follow the plans of another, to achieve success as the conditions are rarely alike. A slight diiference in climate, soil, markets, etc., determine to a certain extent our varied modes of operations. And perhaps, more than all, the knowl- edge, the executive ability, and means, wanting to secure the desired end. Therefore, may we not with proﬁt make suggestions and experiments, and give practical results, and thus add to the store already acquired and stimulate farther inquiry? Since “he who makes two spears of grass grow where only one grew before is a public benefactor; ” let us all strive to that end and proﬁt by the best experience and‘ bring to our aid a ready and Willing ally—Science. Suppose we discuss the question of large farms and carless culture versus small farms and high cultivation? Let us contrast “Farmer Slack with Farmer Thrift.” An interchange of thought and experience will be of great beneﬁt to the agricultural interests. The law of gravitation conﬁrms the all pervading declaration, that as mortals our duty is upon the earth to which we are wonderfully adapted; though the foun- tains whence We draw our spirit is from above. And besides the command, not in the Bible alone, but in that other and more audible scripture, the objective and silent teachings legibly written on every living thing, to “multiply and replenish and subdue the earth” into usefulness and beauty. Then let us study the most feasible and effectual means to “ multiply ” A vegetation and “ replenish” the worn-out earth with renewed vigor and “subdue” its spontaneous productions to comfort, convenience and use. Since we take our domestic animals from their native climate to serve us in a forced artiﬁcial mode of living, should it not become our duty to provide for their comfort as well as our interest and proﬁt? A reply to a few leading questions may interest and beneﬁt all. TI-IE SHAKER. No one ‘objects to the fair exchange of knowledge. “I willingly exchange my ignorance for knowledge.” I trust that at least one well ﬁlled column will be devoted to this subject of primary and vital importance. May we have the pleasure of hearing from all, from Maine to Kentucky. E. MYRICK. It is expected F. W. Evans will leave this country for London, on the 1st proximo. His tour will be of a strictly evangelical nature. He will be accompanied by J. M. Peebles. ERRATA.--111 June number, ﬁrst page, third column, eighth line omit the word “ not ” to get the author’s meaning. Also, in the same column, read “ dog—rose " for primrose. It is needless to say, these were not the mistakes of “ F. W. E.” We furnish THE SHAKER at something less than cost. All subscriptions, received during 1871, will date from January of present year. Particular attention is called to the “Declaration and Warning” issued by Ministry of Mount Lebanon. VVhen we pray “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth,” do we realize whether there is a distinction or not, between our lives and those we believe are living in heaven ? Are we sincere in our prayer ? * THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITION OF RELIGION, ACCORDING TO SHAKER THEOLOGY. FIFTY CENTS, PER ANNUM. IN ADVANCE. G. A. LOMAS, Resident Editor, Shakers, Albany Co., N. Y. MEMBERS OF SOCIETY ﬂppointed to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. Elder F. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N’. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, N. Y. “_; Calvin G. Reed, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. “ Simon Mabee, \Vest Pittsﬁeld, Mass. “ Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Conn., Shakers. “ Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. “ Wm. Leonard, Ayer, l\Iass., Shakers. “ John Whiteley, Shirley Village, Middlesex Co., Mass. “ Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. “ Henry Cummings, Enﬁeld, Grafton Co., N. H. “ John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. “ Alonzo Gilman, VV est Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Me., Shakers. “ Charles Clapp, Union Village, Warren Co., 0., Shakers. “ Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. “ Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers, Ohio. “ George Runyon, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. “ J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. “ J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. PUBLICATIONS. Christ’s First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church - - - - - - 1 00 Compendium of Shakerism - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests - - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0107
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 08 (August 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-08-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: , Christian success. “IWILL SHAKE.‘ ALL NATIONS, AND rim nnsraa on ALL NATIONS SHALL cons. ; AND I WILL FILL rnrs HOUSE WITH GLORY, sarru rm: LORD.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprio. VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., AUGUST, 1871. .8. Ghristian Success. Christ’s mission to the world was the salvation of souls——to save souls ‘from the transgression of God’s laws, and conse- quently from the punishment of sin. The mission is a success. Whoever looks to Christianity for salvation from the punish- ment of sin, while living in sin, mistakes the mission of the Christ spirit, and is doomed either to achange of opinion and life, or ‘to the sorest disappointment.- Whose commits sin, does not experience ‘We believe Christ to have appeared, just as we ﬁrmly believe _in the existence of gold; but until we experience the value of gold, by real pos- session and the beneﬁts of its exchange, of how much worth is our belief ? Until we experience the salva...
Show more, Christian success. “IWILL SHAKE.‘ ALL NATIONS, AND rim nnsraa on ALL NATIONS SHALL cons. ; AND I WILL FILL rnrs HOUSE WITH GLORY, sarru rm: LORD.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprio. VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., AUGUST, 1871. .8. Ghristian Success. Christ’s mission to the world was the salvation of souls——to save souls ‘from the transgression of God’s laws, and conse- quently from the punishment of sin. The mission is a success. Whoever looks to Christianity for salvation from the punish- ment of sin, while living in sin, mistakes the mission of the Christ spirit, and is doomed either to achange of opinion and life, or ‘to the sorest disappointment.- Whose commits sin, does not experience ‘We believe Christ to have appeared, just as we ﬁrmly believe _in the existence of gold; but until we experience the value of gold, by real pos- session and the beneﬁts of its exchange, of how much worth is our belief ? Until we experience the salvation from the commis- si-on cf sin, which Christ’s mission pro- mised, of what avail is Christianity to us? “ He shall save his people from their sins,” by teaching a life that is free from sin. Christ teaches freedom from war—-a Chris- tian peace. Christians never did, never can ﬁght. Christians are peacemakers, and realize that there never was a Christian cause worth ﬁghting for with Weapons that kill the body or hurt the soul! This Christianity will exclude the majority_ of professing Christians. Christ taught a a virgin life, pure and chaste as the angels. Jesus practiced virginity; so did his im- mediate disciples; so practice all who at- tain to a Christian success. Paul lived like the author of Christianity, but permit- ted a license to the heathen that ﬁnds no sanction in the life and teachings of Christ; whoso indulges in any practice of life, heathen to Christianity, can lay no claim to Christian success. ' The Christ spirit organized the most beautiful church-pattern among the primi- tive Christians. To this, genuine Christians gathered, gave up their selﬁsh individu- alities, and laid down at the apostles’ feet their wealth and their poverty, their bur- dens and their indiiferences, and with these the apostles built up a successful Christian Church. The Wealthy became less wealthy in worldly goods; the poor were elevated by the condescension of the rich; all enjoyed a comfortable equality ias brethren and sisters. "Whose would at- tach to this church any mutual or social relations, not comprehended by the terms brethren and sisters in Christ, aims at the prostitution of the true church into a com- munity of ill-fame. We ﬁnd human nature, undisciplined by the Christ spirit, opposed to the de- mands of Christianity. However loud its professions of love for Christ, it prefers, that spirit would not press too closely the subject -of self-denial. Under the Chris- tian name it prefers to live worse than the Jews, and Whoever would restrict it is made the object of persecution and cruciﬁxion. It Wants, and will have, the pleasures of the ﬂesh, of private property and war, unless converted to the Christ life. It marries and then transcends, to beastly extent, the boundaries of Jewish discipline, screening itself behind the name of Christ from the mortifying penances and puriﬁca- tiens that Jewish laws demanded. Christ was the end of the law of generation and of the‘ “unfruitful works of darkness;” and who would achieve success in a Chris- tian life must discontinue these, seeking an excuse and refuge in Christ! “ If this is Christianity,” cries the majority of pro- fessing Christians, “then we prefer not to be Christians.” Regardless of their pre- ferences, the truth stands alto relieve, and will not down at the bidding of popular desires. Refusing the discipline of the law, all cut themselves 011' from the enjoy- ment of its advantages; and by practicing that which the life of Christ will not sanc- tion, but condemns, such cannot have the gospel, nor attain to a. genuine Christian profession. “The Shakers,” says a noted writer, “have certainly struck at the root of all evil; but, in our opinion, they have struck at little too deeply.” C The Shakers, we ‘say, experience genu- ine Christian success, when obedient to the voice of their principles, and this demands our striking at the root of evil very much deeper than our cotemporaries have; yet none too deeply to experience salvation from the ills our cotemporaries suifer. VVe know" what it is to experience Christian success— salvation from sin. Our success has not been in the congregation of vast numbers; never will be; at least we do not look for this. There has been, as may occur again and again, a falling away from the ‘purity of our principles, which inevitably degrades the individualities so falling-—.-as “ the stars of heaven falling to earth ;” but this in no manner affects our Christian success. Our numbers are not so large, as in periods that are past; We fearlessly admit this fact; but cur principles are ﬁrmer than ever, in our faithful hearts, and in the estimation of ‘the truly religious minds of the day. "We mean to maintain these principles inviolate, while living in happy anticipation of the approach of a blessed season, when mankind will become con- victed of the need of Christian success, and gather to the principles that alone can satisfy the demand. “For the love of the primitive Christians,” says one who is not far from the kingdom of heaven, “ we need not expect to ﬁnd in the churches of Brooklyn nor in surrounding cities; but in a community life, where so much self- denial is in exercise, that but few indi- Viduals Will be willing to‘ submit to its demands.” "“ Christian Communism, Is nothing more nor less than “ the Kingdom of Heaven,” of which so much has been pro- phesied. And that kingdom is described by the simile of a net, which ﬁshermen had cast into the sea, and drawn, ﬁlled with (not all good ﬁsh that would answer the expectation of the ﬁshermen, but) a promiscuous multitude of such as/the sea contains. Well trained, ex- perienced ﬁshermen know where to go, and in what Waters to ply their vocation, to secure the greatest proportion of the ﬁsh they want, and the fewest and least dangerous of those which are of no proﬁt. And as often as the net is cast, follows the selecting, separating pro- cess, Which returns back into the sea the not- Wanted, undesirable result of the haul. The best of ﬁsh are unﬁt for use until death has occurred, and a cleansing process has been passed through, after Which, their former life in the ocean is an impossibility; they are on land, and landsmen appropriate and use them up. They at least will never again multiply, nor replenish the waste Waters of the great sea, in which they had their origin, and where- in they experienced their former life. Signs of life in the ﬁsh, upon a supper table, Would be no more horrible and disgusting to the invited guests, than are manifestations of 5 8» TI-IE SHAKER. generative life in young, or old men and women in a Christian Cmmmmity. Whilst, “ blessed are the pure in heart who therein see God.” Much as the more‘ progressed minds of the World desire community life, having failed to actualize it in seventy-six attempts during the last ﬁfty years (see Noyes). there is “no form or comeliness in a Christian Com- munity that they should desire it.” It ex- cludes and takes the life of the natural, pro- creative man and Woman, which they ﬁnd in “the waters, or sea, where the whore sitteth, and which are peoples, and multitudes, and nations and tongues,”——all the human inhabit- ants of this earth being by the Spirit included under one gigantic ﬁgure. There is latent in the soul of every man and woman a spiritual or angel man or woman. Like Paul, the whole race, as a race, have been pressing; on, “if by any means they might at- tain to the Resurrection” from the “ dead sea” of generation; and ever and anon this spiritual yearning has cropped out a Reformer, a Phi- losopher, a Prophet or Prophetess, with their dream of a “good time coming” in the distant future, their felicitous Arcadia, or unattainable Utopia, or their vision of a Millenium; indis- tinct and undeﬁned glimpses of a spiritual state and life on this earth--the Resurrection Order as an answer to the God-inspired prayer of “Thy kingdom come,” wherein their daily bread and water would “ be sure,” Without the daily drudgery and degradation to Which the great mass of humanity are subject, and only to be escaped by self—denia1 in the new life to be attained in “ Christian Communities,” as schools, which are educating immortal souls for a life that is eternal. F. W. EVANS. Labor is Worship. PART FIRST. ‘ It is supposed by many who seem to be superﬁcial readers of the New Testament, that the founders of the Order introduced hand labor as something new into the Christian Church as a principle of duty for all. Others believe that We carry out rigidly for worldly gain, members being subjects of toil and leaders standing exempt. We will en- deavor to show that in diligence we strictly follow the example of Jesus, the Apostles and the Primitive Church, who established the principle, that work is Christian worship. The argument is to be scriptural and noth- ing more. The Parents of Jesus were laboring Jews. When he was entering the ﬁeld of labor as an inspired teacher, the inquiry was raised by those who heard him, “Is not this the car- penter’s son? ” &c. Jesus required by law to learn a trade. Under the statute of Moses, tradition says, every father rich, or poor, was required to see that his sons learned a trade. After the affair with the doctors at the temple, “ He came to Nazareth and was subject to his parents,” till thirty years of age; in which time Joseph evi- dently instructed Jesus in his own occupation, for when he began to preach they inquired, “ Is not this the carpenter?” &c. The habitation of Jesus. The day after John baptized him, he was passing, and the Baptist exclaimed: “ Behold the Lamb of God!” 8213. Again, the next day he stood with two of his disciples, and calling their attention to him, uttered the same sentiment, and the two followed him. He turned and asked “ What seek ye ? ” They asked, “‘Where dwellest thou?” He an- swered, “ Come and see.” They obeyed and followed him and abode with him that day. Others were invited to his dwelling, who became his disciples. Here evidently Nicode- mus came to him by night. Now, by what means was this simple home supplied with its daily needs? This was the starting of the ﬁrst Christian community; the outgrowth from it was the calling of the twelve, the gathering at Pentecost, the Church at Jerusalem and those among the Gentiles. So the latter Church started under Mother Ann. A powerful inspiration attracted deeply religious inquirers to her; the outgrowths from this are the present Churches in America. The Disciples when called were working men. Their industries were ﬁshing, gathering taxes and other labors. A Church that is to live by its own industry should‘ have such pioneers to start with. For the scriptures show posi- tively that this requirement was laid upon all the Christian ministers, even upon Paul, who was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel the most learned of the Apostles. The ﬁrst Ameri- can believers in this Order were out of just such society. ﬂll ordained ﬂpostlcs required to labor for their daily bread. After the cruciﬁxion, Jesus appeared to them at the sea of Gallilee while toiling at their nets. After they had advanced far into their min— istry, Paul declared, “ God hath set forth us the Apostles (he excepts none) a spectacle to the world, angels and men. Even to this pre- sent hour we hunger, thirst, have no certain dwelling place, and labor, working with our hands,” &c. He does not say that they chose this condi- tion, nor that povertydrove them to it, but that God (through Jesus) laid it upon them, that as a pattern, they might be set forth a specta- cle to be looked upon by the heavenly orders, the Church and the world. The same life of honest toil was exacted of all ministers, elders and people in gathering and starting the Church of Christ’s Second Appearing, Mother Ann setting the example, living up to her own motto at all times——“ hands to work and hearts to God.” They required the same of their Churches. Paul held it as a principle and proved it by his Works, that he who opposed honest labor was an enemy to the Christian faith. He says, “When we were among you, we commanded if any would not work neither should he eat. ‘Neither did We eat any man’s bread for nought, but wrought with labor and travail night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you : not because we had not power, but to make ourselves an example to you to follow us.” How could Paul preach down indolence and ease to others, if he refused to labor himself? They had affectionate brethren and sisters, quite wealthy, which they could lean upon and could receive donations for support, but they prized a Christ-like example above all this. Like their Master they never required of others what they were unwilling to do themselves. Notice the reproof of Jesus to the Jewish Priesthood against shirking the duties of life they well understood. He said: “ The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat; they bind heavy burdens upon men’s shoulders, grievous to be borne, which they will not move them- selves with one of their ﬁngers.” Paul and the twelve had seen and heard this. Now would Jesus cry out against an evil which he practiced himself? From the time that this Church was established our leaders have taught members to follow them as they followed the leaders of both dispensations of the gospel, in honest labor. Hand labor introduced into the Gentile Churches. When Paul came to Corinth he was im- pressed to tarry there, sow the seed of faith and reap a harvest of souls. It was not his ﬁrst business to seek out some place of ease in some metropolitan hotel, but true to his faith he sought some humble workshop where he could go to work with his hands. “ When Paul came to Corinth he found a certain Jew named Aquila, with his wife Priscilla, and he came to them; and because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and worked, for by occupa- tion they were tent makers.” Paul had now entered his ﬁeld of labor right, and could pray for others ; he toiled on through the week, “and reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath day.” “Being in the way, the Lord blessed him and delivered him from persecution. He con- verted Crispus, the chief ruler of the Syna- gogue, with all his house, and many of the Corin- thians hearing, believed.” All came out true, “ For he continued there a year and six months.” By following strictly the example of Jesus, Paul was clothed with great power to control and admonish his followers. He found they were Wealthy andiworldy, sunk deeply in the sins of the Gentiles, and he Walked among them with great self—denial, charity and cir- cumspection. When his labors in the spirit became so extended that his own hands failed to supply his wants he said: “When I was with you and wanted, I was chargeable to no man, for that which was lacking the brethren from Macedonia supplied.” Thus in times of need Ministers of Christ divided the proceeds of their labor with each other. The ﬁrst Believers in Shaker faith provided a home to which others gathered : they preached A to them the gospel, and united with them in toil and labor, and imparted to them their substance. Gentile Churches follow the example of the Church at Jerusalem in hand labor. When the Apostles established the Church at Jerusalem, they followed strictly the teach- ings and example of Jesus, that when the gos- ..>a-.!'*\'x THE SHAKER. 59 pel spread among the Gentiles, they could pre- sent to them his true life and doctrines. In exhorting the Thessalonians to a strict Chris- tian course, Paul says: “ Ye remember, breth- ren, our travail; we would not be chargeable to any of you. Ye become the followers of the Churches, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus.” Thus the Apostles appeared among them as,Christian teachers, toiling for their daily bread just as they did in the Churches at Jerusalem, and these stood in the very life and testimony of Christ Jesus. It has been so with the Shaker Church from the beginning. When their Missionaries have planted other Churches, the same spirit of honest toil which exists in the Church at New Lebanon has ever been requited of all, as an important part of the Christian faith. WM. LEONARD. Progress. IVith old and young, the questions often arise: What constitutes a state of blessedness ? What character is the most acceptable to the Great Originator of human souls. and the most con- ducive to the .happiness of sentient beings endowed with intelligence, and possessing the germs of an immortal life? The Apostle Paul gave many wholesome instructions, some commandments, and some permissions‘. His mission was to the people; and he strove to meet all cla.sses-——the Jew under the law, and those who were without law ; to the weak he adapted his teachings, fed them with milk; for they could not digest the strong meat which he gave to those who were more spiritually progressed ; his object was to beneﬁt all. Shall we be willing to take our place with the weak, and hide beneath the per- missions which the Apostle gave to the Gentile Christians of his day, instead of girding our- selves about with every truth, and making haste in the upward path of progression, though it may take us away from every earthly idol? Progress is stamped upon everything; knowl- edge is constantly increasing in things pertain- ing to the earth-life. If we possess an innate power .to add to our knowledge in natural science, why should there be a limit to spiritual growth and development? VVhy is it that so many give tacit assent to the stereotyped pro- prietor of the pulpit, and unmistakable support to the style of architecture expressed in steeples? to the artistically-stained glass through which to dimly light the Church 3 indicating the status of those who say, Lord, Lord, but whose soul language is, “ Subdue the light ; let it not shine too vividly for the weak vision, and let the Word be tempered with scholastic platitude, and fall on us as the snow-ﬂake on the running water—stream, so as not to interrupt our course in securing earthly emoluments and delight; ” though, oft, deep tones from each neighboring cemetery are heard, How short lived! how corruptible I But few minds, comparatively, have been exercised upon the subject of Regeneration versus Perpetuity of the Race. The generative plane, when under the guidance of wisdom, and subject to the highest reason, may be viewed as the rudimental, or natural, having in view its use—-replenishing the earth. But, as J. M. Peebles has said, “ There should be a mount of ascension--a spiritual birth to each brain- organ——a heavenly polarity—before physical death.” 11. W. Beecher says, “It is better to be born right the ﬁrst time, than to depend upon some spasmodic revival——an occasional wave of spiritual life, for the better regulation of the being, feeble, and often transient, in its descent.” And, as the Swedenborgian, Dr. Giles, says, “ Try to work through the misty, shadowy veil of the ﬂesh.” Zllalthus, by mathematical and geometrical conclusions, makes out, that “it is impossible for the earth always to contain and afford subsistence to its inhabitants, if they so abnormally continue to increase.” And many are brought to look favorably, and even kindly on war, disease. infanticide, etc., as means by which an ungodly race may continue to exist, and ﬁnd room to come to, and go from the surface of mother earth. .4. J. Davis says “procreation is not com- patible with spirituality.” From his high, intellectual stand-point, the progressive spirit would become absorbed and incorporated with an element of light and knowledge wherein the animal or procreative life could not exist; and he invites men and women to “come out of their little enclosures of pigs, potatoes, pro- geny and pence, and take a ﬂight to the mount or summit wherefrom they could behold the harmony and beauty of God’s creation, which in a lower altitude can not be seen. The knowledge of this higher life will test the stamina of all applicants for progress. Should this process prevail, the earth will cease to satisfy or supply the spirits thereon. Doubt- less, millions of years may roll by, ere this condition will become universal; but, as pro- gressioni-sts, we should approximate thereto; for we are destined to exist in another sphere; therefore, let that sphere be one of superior- delights and loves. Let us, from this exalted position, aim for the higher life, where the sphere is more universal, and the element more genial ; where we can behold the passing away of the sublunary orb itself, which will cease to exist as a separate body in the planetary sys- tem actually passing away; attracted to and by stronger bodies, it will ultimately be ab- sorbed and incorporated into another system, and in a way and manner not understood by the orthodox theologian. Earth shall be no more! ” “ Science, by the aid of revelation from the spirit spheres, has opened a more philosophical and peaceable way of disposing of and settling this matter, than the old oft-repeated pitiless story of burning and annihilation; thus exter- minating mother earth and her inhabitants.” “ The spiritual aspirations, and soul wants of the age, call for a broader, a more liberal view of Heaven; a more expansive and pro- found idea of intelligences above and around us, and of their mission to the earth sphere.” Such are the thoughts of many; and we are happy to announce to them, that there is a heavenly order established on earth—a second Pentecostal Church——where the character of Jesus is not only admired, but imitated. As he was holy, harmless and undeﬁled, so are they in the Second Christian Church who fol- low him in the regeneration. White—robcd Angels are again seen on the mountain of purity, and again is heard, in accents of love, “ Come up higher.” Angelic beings, male and female, sound forth the heav- enly invitation from the immortal spheres, “ Come all who will : the wine, milk and honey are free. Come and buy unalloyed, pure gold without money and without price.” JANE D. KNIGHT. Do Good. . This should be the aim of every human being—to make the world better for their hav- ing lived. No one can be a reformer unless they first become reformed—made better. Jesus struggled to make life principles effective in himself, rather than to proclaim new theo- ries. He never urged the acceptance of his principles until, by a living illustration, he proved them efficacious. W/Vith weighty truths in his possession, he yet was humble; accept- ing neither the kingly crown, nor the purple robe. Baptized by the power of redemption, drinking deeply at the springs of eternal life, he imparted the same to others. In lonely places he would gather the afflicted —tell them of the heavenly joys of the Divine life. A few honest ﬁshermen heard his teachings, and made their lives conformably to them, gather- ing others to the beautiful way of the cross. The “few” who laid the foundations of the Shaker Church were equally zealous in disci- plining their lives according to their honest convictions of right. Under the most scorch‘- ing testimony against pride, lust, war, etc., they stood ﬁrm. They incurred the hatred and envy of those whom they sought to im- prove, while giving expressions of the most Christian love——laying down a life of sinful pleasure in behalf of the souls of their neigh- bors. They were poor, but willingly shared their all with sin—sick souls, wherever inet. They were rich in. spiritual things, and from their abundance built the structure that is a. beacon to the afflicted of all nations, having come out and separated themselves from the works of darkness into the glorious light and life of Christ-—-they stripped themselves of any base disguise, showed their past deeds, and earnestly began a life of true repentance, leaving of what they confessed as wrong. In strug- gling for their salvation they used ‘extreme measures to meet their cases. The heads of families would sometimes, under the deepest conviction for their s-ins, and of their responsi- bility as parents, call their children around them and impress upon them the necessity of -a godly li-fe, not by the relation of mythical stories of ﬁreand brimstone, but, givingexpres- sion to their sorrow for their own missteps in life, warn their children to ﬂee from the same condemnation; and with such fervor were these communications made, that the stony hearts of their children melted, and, as the baptized parents baptized their children into the newness of life, society received a force of the proper material for the maintenance of the true gospel of Christ. May the same truths enter the hearts of many natural parents, while we all sing the song, “ We Live to do Good.” HARRIET BULLARD. pug)»- 60 TI—IE SHAKER. BIOGRAPHICAL.‘ As we have received the most authentic records of Jesus from the writings of his daily companions, we would give evidence of Ann Lee’s life and character from those who knew her personally, and suffered with her in the promulgation of her unpopular faith. ——ED. Testimony of John Farrington. In consequence of an extraordinary revival of religion, which took place at New Lebanon in the summer of 1779, and extended through the neighboring’ towns, I was brought into a deep labor of mind concerning my own salva- tion. In this revival I diligently attended the meetings, and was much engaged in religious exercises, by which I was greatly awakened to pray earnestly to God for deliverance from sin, and from the natureof evil ; but no deliver- ance could I ﬁnd‘. I closely observed the operations of this revival, but could not ﬁnd that it wrought any abiding effect upon its subjects. I therefore diligently searched the scriptures, prayed to God, and confessed my sins to Him alone in secret places. But all this produced no abiding comfort, for I found that in all my labors‘ and struggles I could not obtain any victory over sin, nor could I see any among the subjec_ts of the revival that appeared in any better situa- tion, as to religion, than myself. Notwith- standing all my experience in the i-lluminations of the Divine spirit, and all the ﬂattering encourage-ments of many old professors, who earnestly endeavored to persuade me that I was a Christian, and an heir of salvation, my feelings were not satisﬁed. I feit myself unworthy o‘. the name of a Christian, a-nd had no confidence in making at public profession of religion, unless I could live according to my profession; and therefore determined not toname the name of Christ till I could depart from ini'q1rity, nor call myself’ a Christian without being con- vinced that I was such in reality. In the spring of" the year 1780, I received intelligence of a singular sect of Christians who had come‘ from Elngland, and lived‘ near -*Albany, and who attracted much attention on hccount of the-singularity of their religion, and the remarkabie power and operations which httended it. This intelligence‘ made me very anxious to see the people for my own satisfac- non, feeling myself fully prepared by my late -’c‘x’~perience and my knowledge of the scriptures, like {receive an understanding, and to judge of 31126} virtue and efficacy of their religion. In ‘agreement with my parents I went to see them f(Sbeing then in the 20th year of my age), and "was among the first in this country who iﬁisited these remarkable strangers. I found them indeed a very singular people, and after critical inquiry and observation, I had sufﬁcient evidence to satisfy me that they possessed the power of God beyond any other people I had ever seen. Instead of asking me/to tell my religious experience, and inviting me to join the Church, as my former teachers had done, Mother Ann Lee, the leader of this little com- munity, taught me the necessity of confessing my sins in the presence of God’s witnesses, and showed me the propriety of bringing my deedsto the light, and of being joined to the Lord in one spirit. I saw and acknowledged this to be right. I tarried several days, and saw with much admiration the wonderful dis- plays of Divine power among these people. When I was about to take my leave of them, to return home, Mother Ann told me I might confess my sins if I desired, before I returned home. I said I believed it to be right to confess my sins, but I had thought to return home and labor for a deeper sense of sin, and try to mend my life a little. Mother replied, “ That is very good, but you can gain a deeper sense of sin after you have confessed them than before, and be better able to mend your life.” Being fully con- vinced by what I had heard and seen that this was the real requirement of God, I undertook it, and made as honest a confession as I was able at that time. Afterward, Mother said, “ You have done well so far, but you have not confessed all.”‘ She then told me of a number of secret sins that I had committed, which I had not recollected, and whichl well knew was before unknown to any living mortal but myself: and I was fully convinced that she could not have known these things but by the revelation of God. I therefore felt able to return home and say, as the woman of Samaria did" of Jesus Christ, I have seen a woman who was abl'e'i’o tell me all that I ever did in my life. Here I received that holy unction from Christ, through‘ Mother Ann, that fully enabled me to cease from sin. Here I found boldness and conﬁdence before‘ God and all men, and felt my adoption into the family of Christ, and among the sons of God. Here I found an entrance into the pure and peaceable Kingdom of Christ, and felt my soul united to the invisi- ble, heavenly host, and ﬁlled with the quick- ening power of God, which gave me strength to resist all evil, and to keep every sinful’ prob pensity in subjection to the la-w of Christ. And I felt a full assurance that by continuing obedience to the testimony I had then em- braced, I should gain acomplete dominion over the powers of darkness, and reign triumphant with Christ in purity and holiness. In this I have not been deceived, for I have found my faith fully verified. Indeed, it is impossible it should be otherwise, for the testimony that I received, and with which I united, was like a two-edged sword against all nngodliness and every appearance of evil; therefbre all who are obedient to it must certainly be saved from all ungodliness. This gram I have obtained, and this power I have received, through the special ministration of Mother Anni Lee, whose pierc- ing testimony awakened the inmost feelings of my soul, and roused the sleeping faculties of my mind, which had long been bound in nature’s darkness. Thus did my soul receive a special manifest- ation of the healing power of God, as really as the impotent man at the beautiful gate of the temple received the miraculous cure from Peter and John". I can testify before all men that it was through faith in Mother Ann, whom God raised up and endowed with the spirit of Christ, that I was healed of the inﬁrmities of ‘my spirit ; even through Christ manifested in that woman, who was shamefully persecuted, abused and slandered by a lawless and wicked generation, because she zealously maintained the principles of purity and holiness, and boldly testiﬁed, by precept and example, against all the abominations of the wicked. It must appear evident to every reasonable mind that had she not possessed the spirit and power of Christ she could not have communi- cated it to others. And had she been laden with iniquity, and fraught with evil and un- clean spirits, she could not have purged those things from other souls. The nature of evil is directly opposed to godliness, and if ever sub- dued it must be done by the spirit and power of goodness, or it never can be done at all. And had not Mother Ann brought forth the genuine fruits of righteousness in her own life A and example, she never could have wrought in souls such‘ conviction of sin, and turned so many from the ways of iniquity into the pure paths of peace and righteousness as she has done; and that this was truly the fruit of her labors, many living witnesses can testify from their own personal knowledge and experience. I was well acquainted with Mother Ann, and had many opportunities with her during her ministration in this country. Being a free man, and feeling a powerful religious attachment to her and the elders with her, I embraced every suitable opportunity to visit them, and to be in their company at the different ‘places where they ministered the gospel. I often visited them at Watervliet, and was with them in prison at Albany—I was with them at Har-‘ vard, Shirley, Woburn, Ashﬁeld, Richmond and Hancock, in Massachusetts, at Enﬁeld in Connecticut, and at New Lebanon. I have seen and heard them in many meetings, and was knowing to their deportment in public and private, and was well acquainted with their manners at home and abroad, and, therefore, feel fully able to give a true statement of their lives and characters. And I feel it justly my duty to contradict the false reports which have been spread abroad by the tongue of slander concerning them: for in all my acquaintance with. them, I have ever obesrved the same uniform example of temperance, chastity, righteousness and every gospel virtue. Their lives and characters were in strict conformity to the doctrine and example of Christ; and they constantly taught the same to others. Although many malicious and abusive charges have been published abroad in the world, for the purpose of criminating the character of this Society and its first fonndeI~’s,yet all that can be said in the spirit of slander, is unworthy of the credit or attention of any rational person. Thosewho have little or no acquaintance with the Society, are not qualiﬁed to give any cor- rect information concerning it. Many unfaith- ful members have vainly pretended‘ to hold relation for a. season ; but their ungodliness has justly brought them under reproof; and instead of reforming, they have thereby taken occasion to indulge themselves in resentment and false- hood, and to deny the faith which they had once embraced, and become as traitors tothose who honestly maintain the cross of Christ. Such apostates have often palmed upon the Society and its leaders the crimes which they themselves had committed, while pretending to hold relation with us. I can truly testify, from my own personal THE SEIAKER . 61 acquaintance, that the character and example of Mother and the elders were altogether the reverse of any excess, and that they invariably taught the same sobriety and temperance to others. I have been a witness of many in- stances in which Mother admonished intemper— ance in those whom she taught; but in no way did she do it more effectually than by the godly example which she continually displayed, dur- ing the whole of her life, among us. Ever faithful in good works, she often deprived her- self of comforts, that she might be able to ‘comfort others. She spared not her life in pro- moting the‘ cause of God, in strengthening the feeble, comforting the afflicted, reproving the careless, correcting disorders, purging out sin, and zealously striving, at all times, to build up righteousness and peace in all who embraced her testimony. I once was young but now I am old, and through my life have been an attentive observer of the ways and actions of men, but I have never seen the persecutor prosper, nor the vile slanderer rise to honor. When the gospel ﬁrst opened in New Lebanon, the little despised ﬂock who ﬁrst embraced it, were mostly peo- ple of small property, and in low circum- stances; many among us were indeed very poor; and all of us, like the rest of mankind, were bound in sin and iniquity, possessing our full share of all the evil propensities of a fallen nature, and sunk in slothfulness‘, ﬁlthiness, intemperance and a multitude of other evil habits. These were our inward enemies with which we had to contend ; while without we had the prejudices, jealousies, slanders and persecu- tions of an unbelieving world to encounter, who spared no pains in trying to impede the work of God among us, and discourage us in our undertaking, crying out, delusion .' fanaticism .' witchcraft! the work of the devil .' But what has been the result? I bless the God of Heaven that I have lived to see the fulﬁllment of those blessed promises, given us by the faithful messengers of truth, who ﬁrst administered the gospel to us, “ That if we would yield a faithful obedience to the law of Christ, now made manifest, we should be blessed in our outgoings and incomings—in our basket and in our store; and above all that we should enjoy the blessings of peace and salvation, which Christ had promised to the faithful.” As the fruits of their precepts and examples of industry, neatness, prudence, temperance and godliness, I have seen a Society of people spring up, and grow and increase in order, beauty and harmony, till it is, in my view, the glory of the earth—-a city of refuge—a shining light and a tree of life to the nations. On the other hand, I have seen the false ac- cuser, the vile slanderer and proud persecutor, who gladly would have trampled under foot the meek and lowly followers of Christ, either left to become a. shameand a reproach to civil society, outcasts among men and vagabonds in the earth; or if their rank and standing in society has preserved them from these dis- graces, they have not escaped the stains of dis- honor, nor the stings of a guilty conscience. Numbers have lingered out their days under evident guilt and condemnation, and left this mortal stage with “ a fearful looking,” know- ing that the day of reckoning must come. What became of those proud and malicious persecutors who vainly strove against the work of God in New Lebanon and its vicinity, in the early days of our faith? Behold, they were scattered to the four winds! But few remained in this town as the sad relics of a dishonored gang-——a once haughty, riotous, cruel and unfeeling band of intolerant perse- cutors. Many of them were swept from the earth by untimely deaths and retributive judg- ments, till nothing but an empty name is left to their forlorn remembrance. They have received the reward of their doings, and shared the fate of persecutors in every age of the world. Hence it is a point of wisdom for all who know not this gospel to beware how they treat it; for whether they believe it or not, it is a serious reality, that the God of Heaven has laid the foundation; Christ has set up a. kingdom on earth which shall never have an end. And those who bless this work will be blessed, and those who curse it will be cursed. Knowing and feeling a sense of these things, and standing in the fear of God, I solemnly warn all to be careful that they touch not the Lord’s anointed, and do his people no harm. Remember the counsel of Gamaliel to the Jew- ish high priest and his council: “Refrain from these men and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot over- throw it; lest haply ye be found even to ﬁght against God.” JOHN FARRINGTON. Branches or Root? A short time since, in a religious and scien- tiﬁc magazine, we observed this or a similar expression: “Have we not been at work on branches, and neglected to strike the axe at the root of evil ?” Surely this imputation cannot be laid to the little “ Shaker,” which has ‘dealt such vigorous and persistent blows at the very root of all existing evils. One benevolent-hearted class of people hack away most industriously at the giant sin of intemperance, but with little headway, for when they verily believed it dead, life from the root and trunk sends forth more branches, and in another form the work must be repeated again and again. And so of every evil : all have their mortal enemies in humanity who nobly work at their destruction, but still the tree of evil holds its head aloft, and seems not likely to succumb. When Jesus commenced his mission, he said, new is the axe laid at the root of the tree. The now seems to be the remarkable word in the expression, and to inaugurate a new mode of attack. The prunings and trimmings were to be exchanged for a work more effectual. If the farmer would rid himself of an obnox- ious tree, he puts his energies at the destruction of the root and trunk, by cutting it down at once, not by cutting off any prominent limbs or branches, however much they may have seeded his garden or otherwise annoyed him. The Apostle said, “ from whence come wars and ﬁghtings? come they not hence of your lusts which war in your members 3” Then to rid the earth of wars, and all the consequent evils, ‘the most effectual way would be to destroy the selﬁsh and sensual principle in each human being which “ craves that it may con- sume upon its lusts.” Christ commenced on the new plan, ignoring marriage, private property, rank and title, war and retaliation; and declared that the tree that bore the evil fruit was to be hewn down and cast into the ﬁre—the ﬁre of truth and self- denial. Fire is a puriﬁer as well as a destroyer. “ Who can dwell with devouring ﬂames,’ ’*etc. ? “He that hath clean hands and a pure heart.” ELIZABETH H. WEBSTER. To the Aﬁiicted. Child of adversity ! we who are saved from the miseries and uncertainties of the outer life, would speak to you words of hope ; would say to you, “ Fear not the rough surge which bears your frail bark along the dark waters of sor- row! Every stormy tide, and every sterile path over which you journeyihas some fertile margins on which may grow a few plants of virtue. There is some good in every heart, and that good the angels will never forsake. Look for it, cherish it, and in its measure it will be like the arm of God to sustain you. Friends may depart to join the invisible host ; you are not bereft ; they still guard you. Loved ones may turn traitors, yet blessed is the heart that can say in the spirit of true forgiveness, ‘ They were not always false; it is human to err. I am not perfect.’ ” ‘ The soul" that thus receives sorrow is not blighted, but chastened; its tears are drawn from the pool of humility, whose waters are purifying; and that soul will not waste the dawn of the day in recalling the night-dream of grief; but it will awake to hope and energy. Its wounds will be healed, and beauties will appear instead of scars. Thus God helps those who help themselves. The sorrowing are not forgotten; their afflic- tions are known, their prayers are heard, and relief is sent most directly through their own co—operation with the ministering powers. It is never too late for effort. The change that we call death, which is certain to every human .being, will afford opportunity to ﬁnish what- ever may be left undone here, or to turn into a new course. However winding may be the stream of adversity, it has its source in sin ,- and sin is only abolished by self-denial. Sin is the element of Babylon, and the voice of the spirit is constantly calling to all suffering hearts that are seeking truth, “ Come out of her, my people, that ye be not contaminated with her wickedness, and that ye receive not of her punishments!” and your days of bitterness will end in bliss, for there is no adversity in Heaven. H. R. AGNEW. “Those who ﬁx their eyes on the sermon on the Mount, or rather on the naked propositions it con- tains, and disregard Ch_rist’s life, his cross and his resurrection, commit the same mistake in studying Christianity, that the student of Socratic philosophy would commit if he studied only the dramatic story of his death. Both Socrates and Christ uttered remarl-:- able thoughts and lived remarkable lives. But Socra- tes holds his place in history by his thoughts and not by his life; Christ, by his life, rather than by his thoughts.”——Ecce Homo. ‘ _\ ‘N 62 THE SI-IA.I{El% Future Existence and Eternal Happiness. As mankind in this life have a real existence without enjoying perfect happiness, so, in the future world, man will ﬁnd himself in the same condition. Future existence, therefore, does not imply future happiness ; this is attained by a certain process, and man, being a free agent, is left to determine for himself how long he will put off that process which leads to eternal life and happiness. Man’s present and future, then, is dependent on his own agency _; but this future existence is the feat of God. Dunlavy observes, that “ God’s decrees are to be known by His Works of creation and providence.” When God purposed or decreed to create ani- mated beings, such as inhabit our globe, he also decreed that they should all require sus- tenance for bodily support, and formed every one of them with appetites and a digestive apparatus. After thus decreeing and thus forming them, if he had left them all without food adapted to their appetites and digestive organs——without anything to sustain their 1ives——and so left them to linger and perish with hunger, would any intelligent being fail to see that such a being was either malignant or impotent and shortsighted? On the contrary, when we see that ample provision is made for food, and all the means of subsistence for the thousands of varied wants and appetites, all exactly adapted to each and every species of being, we see not only inﬁnite wisdom, but a boundless muniﬁ- cence displayed; and thus nature teaches us that God is inﬁnitety wise and good. Does she teach us truth? ‘Shall we rely on her testi- mony.? . Among the vast variety of these creatures there is one species called man, of which there are more than a billion of individuals now on the globe. These all have the common wants of other animals with regard to food, and pos- sess in common with them an appetite and digestive organs, and, like the rest, the Creator has made ample provision, adapted to all their bodily wants of food, clothing and shelter. ‘ But this species of being have also intelligent spirits, which have their peculiar wants, among which is an intense desire for future and im- mortal existence. Yet, notwithstanding this, some of this species say that the Creator has made no provision to satisfy this craving appe- tite of the intelligent spirit, but that every individual of the race is doomed to perish and become extinct, because no means exist to sup- ply this life—long innate cravings of the soul. Nature contradicts the ungenerous charge against this, a muniﬁcent Creator, and testiﬁes that there exists a provision for this want as well as others, because God the great Author of nature cannot be inconsistent, providing for all minor wants, even those of insects, and neglect- ing any provision for the most important of all. Revelation harmonizes with nature and declares that the God and Father of all, who provides for “ sparrows,” will surely, therefore, provide for the spiritual, as well as the physical, wants of his rational creatures. But in the case of our temporal wants, God does not cook our food, make our garments, nor build our houses, but furnishes us with the material and the faculties to do it ourselves-- “ reaching,” as one says, “ these necessaries to us through our own hands.” This makes labor and toil a necessity in providing for our bodily wants ; so with the wants of our spiritual nature, God furnishes the knowledge and neces- sary means, but requires us to “ work out our salvation.” “ Seek and ye shall find.” “ Ask, ye shall receive.” Strive‘[agorn-isthe] agonize, exert every nerve that ye may enter into life. Thus it is made quite as necessary that we should exert our own faculties to gain spiritual sustenence and life, as it is to labor for our temporal wants. It may be observed here that the word life is often used in scripture in con- trast, not with extinction, but with distinction and want ; the same as was used by the Romans, “Dum vivimus vivamus”— While we live, let us live; that is, let us enjoy ourselves. Thus it is said to those who had improved their talents—“Enter into the joy of thy Lord”-— into the enjoyment of his glorious and heavenly life. “ Narrow is the way that leadeth to life”-——to true enjoyment—-—“ and few there be that ﬁnd it” in this state of existence. , Yet it exists and can be found—is found—and those few who have it proclaim, “ Ho! every one that thirsteth, come! come, for all things are ready!” RICHARD W. PELHAM. Regeneration. Progress, as applied to man, is a movement from a lower to a higher, from abad to a better condition. As to the manner or means by which pro- gress is effected, there is perhaps some differ- ence of opinion. One class of persons, for instance, supposes that in order to progress to a higher and better condition, it is necessary to kill and utterly annihilate certain inherent qualities, passions and powers of the human mind and body, so that what remains may be pure-and good. This presupposes the aforesaid qualities and passions to have been evil, and a necessity for their destruction. Another class thinks that every faculty of man is eternal ; that no part of his nature can be annihilated, only at the risk of destroying his identity, and endangering his future exist- ence in the ratio of such destruction. I belong to this class. I think the progress of man consists, not in accretions from without, but by a process of eternal reﬁnement from within of all that can be refined as it stands; and a transmutation into higher uses of all that can not be thus reﬁned : viz., all those fugitive passions and powers, whose uses are apparent only in this rudimental state, and mainly sub- servient thereto. Among these passions,powers, &c., are anger, the productive principle, acquisi- tiveness, &c. Let us consider the procreative faculty alone, as from the treatment of this one faculty, with reference to the point at issue, the theory, as applicable to all the others, may easily be inferred. Procreation, a word em- bodying a sufﬁcient deﬁnition, requires for its successful fulﬁlment certain secretions from the blood, deposited and secreted by the won- derful economy of the physical system. If the laws of this economy had never been vio- lated, how might the whole creation of man have been blest, and universal peace, purity and ‘them? This question would come witha better ‘through which to transmit the highest inspira- personal righteousness might have sweetly smiled over the silent gloom of the fearful past! But by sin, misdirection, ignorance, or what- ever name you may call it, the integrity of this physical law of procreation is almost com- pletely lost; most ruthlessly and devilishly violated in this our day, till there is scarcely one in a hundred thousand who is not unnatu- rally or precociously developed in animal lust; and we are constantly driven to hear the recital of such orgies of social or solitary amativeness as often to make us writhe in sickness and horror. This being the case, many in all ages have chosen to renounce all relation in life to this powerful passion, and to live pure celibate lives. The Shakers of the present day have even adopted the celibate life as the most important tenet of their doctrine, without which, as they believe, their community and their theological system would both fail. The question, then, is: How are we free from the imputation of destroying and crushing out certain faculties and proclivities furnished us by our Creator for beneﬁcial purposes, thereby blaspheming the Great and All—Wise Power which has bestowed grace from those not of our Order, if there was now, or ever had been a time in man’s history when the abuse of this faculty did not produce a hundred thousand fold more misery and ruin of soul and body than its total disuse. We believe that the Evangels of Jesus and Ann were predicated principally upon the ter- rible fact that the human race were fast nearing the awful maelstrom of irrecoverable ruin, mainly through the instrumentality of sexual abuse, and there was need of an institution into which could enter those who desired an asylum of perfect seclusion and protection from “ the lusts of the ﬂesh ;” and which would also be a standing rebuke and perpetual testimony against the frightful orgies of crime, carried on through the abuse of the sexual principle. Now, as before stated, the pabulum creating secretions necessary for procreation, if not used in that way, is by no means wasted, but re-ab- sorbed by the blood, and goes to form the very best material for the vitalization of the brain, and consequent evolution of the purest material for thought, and the most transparent medium tions from Heaven. T In this sublime and heav- enly condition we feel drawn out in love towards the whole world, and would gladly propagate them through our faith and living inspirations from the ﬁesh'into the spirit, from the power of lower, baser inﬂuences, to the higher and holier! This, as we understand it, when fully acqui- esced in and seconded by those on whom it is brought to bear, is the true regeneration; and when faithfully and understandingly entered upon, with a full determination never to yield the struggle, must inevitably eventuate in “the second birth.” And we have learned by long experience that so sure as “he that soweth to the ﬂesh, shall of the ﬂesh reap corruption,” so sure will “he that soweth to the spirit reap life everlasting,” yea, and peace beyond all power of human language to express. But this high ground is not to be gained with- ‘j THE SHAKER. 63 out a struggle. Indeed, to come into and through this regeneration and new birth, and completely rise into this halcyon newness of life, everything below it, all former elements, have to be melted with fervent heat, and the whole re—cast in the crucible of deep sorrow and tribulation, until the spiritual transmuta- tion is effected. This requires days, months, and years, and great wisdom and vigilance are requisite, that collateral agencies be not allowed so far to affect the results as to distort and mutilate the whole character and features of the child of God that is to be! If, for instance, a person holds a constant check upon one mean pro- clivity, say lust, and yet indulges all the time in the use of spirits, opium, tea, coffee, tobacco, pork, &c., he may possibly attain to a regene- rate state on that one line; but, alas, what a distorted, swollen, ill-natured child of God he must inevitably come out! Another regene- rating process will be necessary to make him presentable, under any circumstances. This is not the worst. Every atom of nervous force he allows to be wasted, in the pleasurable ex- citements of the aforesaid animal indulgences and intoxications, subtract directly from that unreplenishable stamina of body and mind by which he is to eﬁ'ect his ﬁnal exaltation to a higher plane. Davis, and many other eminent writers, even declare that “ opium and tobacco stimulate the sexual propensities, and generate unhealthy desires.” Therefore, would any man or woman set out on the solemn journey to eternal peace with God, let him, or her, if they have felt a Divine call from their interior consciousness, and conviction thereto, abandon at once and forever all indulgence of the “ﬂesh with the affections ‘and lusts ;” all anger and ill-will against all fellow beings; all use of tobacco, tea, coffee, spirits, opium, etc., and commence immediately the development of regeneration. When you have made the most earnest and persevering struggles in this new life, and ﬁnd yourselves overcome in spite of your best efforts, until you are in utter despair, then‘ i come, if unwilling to before, to the Shakers; confess every known sin ever committed, yield yourselves in unequivocal obedience to their instruction, and if you are ever after faithful to your convictions, you cannot fail of the mansions of peace, eternal in the heavens, and a crown of everlasting joy and glory, “ where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest Y” We know this to be true; we have tried it from ten to seventy years, yea, even to eighty years, and it has never failed in a. single instance. The reasons why you will succeed better here than in isolated conditions of the world may be easily understood. For the amount of love, sympathy and affection which you as an individual may be able to bestow, you receive back the love, sympathy and affection, and consequent moral and spiritual strength of hundreds of your dear brethren and sisters, laborers in the same good cause. This advan- tage is possible in a Community only, and this is the reason you will be far more liable to succeed among the Shakers. 0. C. H., Union Village, 0. Unity, the Bond of Peace. VVe’ll cling to each other in friendship, In purity, peace, and true love ; We*ll imitate J esus' example, And live like the angels above. Jesus said, “ Ye must love one another, By this your diseipleship’s known;" So all other tokens are useless, Where this blessed mark is not shown. We'll move ever onward and upward, Away, far away from the earth, Together seek heavenly treasures Of eternal substance and worth. The spirit is calling us loudly, To work with more earnest desire; True action is living to purpose, And draws us to God ever nigher. We'll live-—-live by love and good actions, The cross, self-denial and right; Time is ﬂeeting, earth's joys are transient, But heaven hath endless delight. ’Tis only the faithful are crowned, So let us work on with a zeal, Not weary, but labor in earnest, And God will His treasures reveal. (Hancock) J. Light. Father of Light, in thee we trust, From thee all blessings ﬂow; Thy ways are ever true and just, And thou all hearts doth know. 0, may we walk with humble fear, Each day within thy sight; And may our constant, fervent prayer Be, “Father, give us light!" 0, grant to us thy mercy, Lord, To save us from our loss; Thy power, and thy quickening word, VVith faith to bear the cross,- 0, leave us not, when storms arise, Dark clouds heave up in sight; But guide us in thy way so wise, To light, more perfect light. If we should err, or go astray, -Or thy least law forget, 0, point us to the narrow way, Thy truth hath wisely set. Then, in thy temple, while we’ve breath, W'e’ll praise thee with delight; That thou hast raised our souls from death, To light, effulgent light. POLLY LEWIS, Mt. L. Happiness is a very common plant, a native of every soil, yet, some skill is required in gathering it; for many poisonous weeds look like it, and deceive the unwary to their ruin. Amid the tears of grief, peace keeps her silent place like the rainbow upon the spray of the cataract ; nor can it be disturbed so long as J ehovah’s sunshine rests upon the soul. Duties lazily and lifelessly performed ; half-hearted prayers ; a deportment blameless enough. perhaps, but tame and unexpressive, and therefore not inﬂuen- tial ; Words well and wisely spoken, perhaps, but without depth and intensity,therefore without weight. These are things which God cannot tolerate in a saint. In judging of others,',1et us always think the best, and employ the spirit of charity and candor; but in judging of ourselves we ought to be exact and severe. He that cannot live well to-day, will be less qualiﬁed to live well to-morrow. To be wise in our own eyes, in the opinion of the world, and in the sight of our Creator, are three things so very different as rarely to coincide. Charity, like the sun, brightens every object on which it shines. Christianity did not come from heaven to be the amusement of an idle hour; to be the food of mere imagination; to be as a. very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice. It is intended to be the guide, the companion of all our hours, the serious occupa- tion of our whole existence. ENFIELD, Conn. It is pleasing to us, when those not of our order encourage us in disseminating our doctrinal views; and when we receive words of cheer, as the following bespeak, we are reminded that we toil not in vain.- ED. “ Adam, the ﬁrst, was created a natural man of the earth. Adam, the second, was born a spiritual man from the heavens.” Here we have two distinct orders of beings, each belonging to its respective head or parent- age. As it is written: “ That which is ﬁrst was not spiritual, but natural, and afterward that which was spiritual,” it is reasonable to suppose, had not Adam transgressed and fallen in his generative order, there would have been a necessity for him to have progressed into a spiritual order; and it is fair to suppose that, as a natural, rational being, the transition from a generative to a regenerative life would have been easy to what it is now, as a poor, blinded, fallen being. Then, if there was a. necessity for man, before the fall, to progress to a higher state of manhood, out of one order to another, how much greater necessity now that man is unnatural, irrational and fallen. “ You must be born again,” is the language of Christ to Nicodemus, and “you must be born again,” is the language of fallen humanity repeated to itself daily, as it wallows in its own corrupt blood, or lingers in constant pain. Then Christian regeneration, as we understand it, is the coming out of the old generative order ——putting off the old man with his deeds, which are ever corrupt after the ﬂesh, and by putting on the new man who is spiritual—even the Christ from the heavens. Jesus calls all men to follow him (not Adam, nor Moses), in the regeneration, and become new creatures, by the washing or cleansing process of a. Christian life, as it is in Himself’, the Christ——the Lord from heaven. E. BUSHNELL, Calhoun, Mo. “ I feel the Divine hand has guided my way ; and though the full hour has not arrived for - the opening of your door to me, yet some day it will open, and angel hands will guide the way, and Mother Ann will lead me in the paths of wisdom and love. '1' * * ‘ The Shaker’ blesses me ; I rejoice in its advent to the world ; it will do good, for those who read it cannot fail of feeling its heavenly mission.” 0. S. L., Ohio. How can I better praise my God than byloving him with a heart sincere ? How better can I show it, than by giving love to those who need his love through me? In gentle Words, in kindly acts, in pleasant smiles or sympa- thetic tears, as the occasion best requires. J. WHITELEY. “As each particle of gold possesses every one of the chemical properties of all the gold on earth, so does each human being possess all the elements and properties of humanity in aggregate. The same pro- cess thatjwould separate the dross from one ounce of gold, would also separate the dross from all the gold in existence." F. W. E. “Every Christian should begin to doubt himself, if he ﬂnds after ten years, that self-denial is as hard in the same things as it was at first." “ You are to accept as a Christian every one whose life and disposition are Christ-like, no matter how heretical the denomination may be to which he be- longs"-Beechcr. , ~ o 64: ‘THE SHAKER. “ According to Your Works.” In the “ Book of Common Prayer,” we read, at the close of the “ Lord’s Prayer,” the fol- lowing addendum :——-Minister: “ 0 Lord, deal not with us according to our sins !” Congre- gation: “Neither reward us according to our iniquities !” This is a ﬁrst class representa- tion of the lesson human nature has learned from the text, “ Thou shalt not surely .die.” Pleasure, regardless of its character, depraved human nature will have; but the just reward of iniquitous doings it shrinks from ; to escape pay—day is very desirable. Rather, slay the Lamb, use his skin, or character, for a cover- ing; his blood for an atonement; and thus dis- guised, run the gauntlet of justice, and look for the reward of heaven, unearned, gratuitous- ly! Poor human nature! “Behold, I come quickly.” "* * * * ’ Should we, in the employ of one govern- ment, look to another for our compensation? Why should we look to God for reward, if our services have been engaged in the works of the Devil? If we have the reward of the righteous, we must live the life of the righteous. If we sin, we shall reap the reward of sin-death. If we sow to the ﬂesh, we shall reap the oppo- site of peace, purity; and our abode here, and hereafter, will be where those who “sow to the spirit, and walk not after the flesh with its affections and lusts,” would not, could not dwell. May the good God not depart from the holiness of his promise, but “ reward us ac- cording to our works ;” and may we so live as to expect, and joyfully meet the consequences. The best way to escape the punishment of sin, is to stop sinning. Isaac Ansurr. . Society Record. Mt. Lebanon stands improved by an ornamental iron fence on either side of the road passing through the Church family. New roofs are noticed on some of the buildings. ' “The “North " are testifying their love for future adherents by repainting all their build- ings. One of the most beautiful and affecting seasons was at the farewell gathering to bid adieu to Elder F. W. Evans. Dwight Ilinckley, a most worthy and estimable brother, dropped dead while at work on the Church’s fence, on Monday, 3rd J uly.‘ He was brother of Barnabas, who, in the height of his career as a surgeon, dropped dead a few years ago in the same family. Vvatervliet chronicles one death recen tly—-Mercy Harwood, of the “ Church,” aged nearly 79. Immense crowds are attendant on Sabbath services, and of a very intelligent and appreciative type. . Groveland reports “ no great loss without some small gain,” by rebuilding ﬁner buildings than those destroyed by ﬁre. Hancock has been improving her Meeting House. No deaths, but general health reported. Fruit :1. failure here. Tyringham 2 Crops looking well, corn excepted. Grass, nearly a medium crop. General health. Harvard geports one death, Maria Barrett, aged 88. Alarge and commodious barn has been built at the “ North." “ Ifwc have any monotony, it is broken once a month by the appearance of the ever-welcome ‘ Shaker.‘ " Shirley reports many deaths of prominent indi- viduals in their vicinity. but have not been aﬂlicted themselves. The substitution of cement aqueduct for the lead pipes of old, has much improved the quality of their water. The Hospital took lire from a defect in the chimney; damage slight; but now the same stands greatly improved. Union Village, 0., is enjoying a refreshing season of spiritual things in some portions of its domain, the effect of sincere prayer on the part of its good people. L THE NEW CREATION is a new monthly, published at Omaha. We are unable, as yet, to know its true intent, but, judging from its remarks upon the Shaker Church, in the July No., we are inclined to believe that it means to experience what persecution is, by upholding theitrue issues of life; by despising the shame of the popular masses, and inculcating the necessity of a purer life than orthodox Christians, so- called, now live. Its life is useless unless it strikes deeply. “We declare as by the spirit of the Lord, among the seven representative churches of Asia, which are made manifest at Christ’s second coming in the hearts of his elect, all of which the spirit rebuked for their sins, while commending their graces, save two. one of which was called the “Church of Philadelphia." that the order of Shakers represents this church. Which by name signiﬁes (Phila-Delphi) the love of brother, or brotherly love. as distinguished from sex- ual love or the love of kindred, of which Christ de- manded a full and complete sacriﬁce. We declare that the Shakers alone have fulﬁlled as an order or church, in the lead of woman, thisfull condition, fulfilling the Words of Christ, “ Who is my mother and who are my brethren? He that doeth the will of my Father in Heaven, the same is my mother, in sister and my brother.” They have left houses am lands, fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and children, husbands and wives, for the kingdom of heavcn’s sake. They alone as an order have laid the ax at the root of sex- ual corruptions, or at the roots of the corrupt trees which have sprung therefrom. They alone have sac- riﬁced the strongest impulses of a corrupt and lustful nature. as did their mother Ann. They have made themselves a sign to this lustful and adulterous gene- ration, the generation of the ﬂesh, sacriﬁcing ileshly love and taking in its place brotherly love. They alone have therefore gained the character of the Church of Brotherly Love, the Church of Philadel- ph1a.”—New Creation. NOTICES OF THE PRESS. THE SHAKER is the name of a new monthly, issued by and devoted to these faithful and honest devotees of their Christ. The ﬁrst number issued for January, 1871, is a well got up and wellﬁlled sheet of respectable size, and cheap at ﬁfty cents ayear, and issued in Albany, N. Y., and edited by G. A. Lomas. “We are glad these GOOD people are now speaking to the pub- lie for themselves, and hope their paper will be largely patronized, that they may be better known and more appreciated thereby. They certainly have many virtues not common to Christians, and not appreciated as they deserve to be by other societies. It is not strange that there should be much sympathy with them among Spiritualists, since they had much of phenomenal Spiritualism among them, and most of them ‘became convinced that spirits communicate before it gained much popularity among Inﬁdels an other Christians.—Banner of Light. ‘ THE SHAKER, published at Albany, N. Y., is a monthly sheet, ﬁlled with words of love and wisdom. Its weapons of warfare are spiritual and mighty.—— New Era, Cleveland. “The Universal Test.” It falls in the way of the little paper called THE SHAKER, to deﬁne its ism in a nut-shell; and it says, “ the kernel when reached is: Confess and forsake sin; live purely, and you are a Shaker without knowing it, regardless of your theology.” How unerringly all sincere religionists of every name and nation come to this one result at last! The great end and aim of the truly religious man is to “live purely ”—to throw off the yoke of sin. The at- tainment of this is the Great Salvation. The best religion is that which, tried by its results, is best adapted to this end. Ought not this self-evident truth to discredit the prevalent a priori tests by which we are ever trying our respective theologies ? And does it not suggest, too, the cheering thought, that inasmuch as we have the Divine assurance that “ in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him," the ﬁeld of God's mercy is wider than our fears have allowed? That Wherever (even among the heathen) the sincere effort is put forth, however mis- takenly as to means. for the attainment of holiness, the Divine Love shall surely, one day, bring the con- summation so devoutly wished? Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be ﬁlled.—Christian Union, N. Y. However pleasing it may be at present to follow our inclinations, nothing will give peace in the end but righteousness; and nothing is righteous but to deny ourselves and do the will of God. I If our gratitude keeps pace with the blessings We receive from God, We must begin very early in the morning to exercise it; for Ills protecting care and tender love is extended to us all the time we are sleeping. Defend the character of the absent, even of those that are bad, as far as truth will permit; the rest con- ceal, unless duty requires its exposure. Every love is impure in proportion as it has self for its end, and dangerous in the degree that it ministers impure gratiﬁcation. 0, how foolish is he who deﬁles his spirit, sacriﬁces a pure conscience, and the~love of God, for the sake of gaining the love of creatures. Private and internal devotion improves the mec- tions; reading and reflection the understanding. And should my brother me oﬂ'end, Seventy-times-seven in a day, I will forgive him at the end, And for his reformation pray. I seek not selﬁsh ends, but greatly desire the end of self. R. W. PELHAM. Societies not mentioned in the “Record,” have not reported in time for notice. * THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITION or RELIGION, ACCORDING TO SHAKER THEOLOGY. FIFTY CENTS, PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. G. A. LOMAS, Resident Editor, Shakers, Albany Co., N. Y. MEMBERS OF SOCIETY ﬂppointed to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. Elder F. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, N. Y. “ Calvin G. Reed, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. “ Simon Mabee, West Pittsﬁeld, Mass. “ Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Conn., . Shakers. ' “ Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. “ Wm. Leonard, Ayer, Mass, Shakers. “ John Whiteley, Shirley Village, Middlesex Co., Mass. “ Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. “ Henry Cummings, Enﬁeld, Grafton Co., N. H. “ John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. “ Alonzo Gilman, VVest'Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Me., Shakers. “ Chas. Clapp, Union Village, Warren Co., 0., Shakers. “ Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. “ Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers, Ohio. “ Jacob Kulp, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. “ J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. “ J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. PUBLICATIONS. ChI‘lSt’S First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church - - - - - - 1 00 Compendium of Shakerisrn - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests - - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0108
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 09 (September 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-09-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “ I WILL snaxn ALL NATIONS, AND run nnsmn or ALL NATIONS SHALL coma; AND I WILL FILLTIIIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, sarrn rm: Loan.” and under the direction ofthe Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. ' Published Monthly, by, VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO»., N. Y., SEPTEMBER, 1871. No. 9. Which shall we Worship—Person. - or?Princip1es '? Was Jesus a S/za/rer ? The people calzled Shakers do not conﬁne their conduct -of -life within the circle of extreme self-denial, ‘because any individ- ual preceding {them has chosen so to live; nor ‘because any individual has taught self-denial as salvation. Their lives are the results of active principles, being thoroughly wrought out, regardless of who has declared them right, or who may pro- claim them erroneous. If satisfactory results are reached, it is a matter of small consequence to us, whether John the Bap- tist failed, or Jesus succeeded. Among hero-worshippers, the Shakers will never be classed, for they are guided in their conduct by no man nor woman t...
Show more“ I WILL snaxn ALL NATIONS, AND run nnsmn or ALL NATIONS SHALL coma; AND I WILL FILLTIIIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, sarrn rm: Loan.” and under the direction ofthe Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. ' Published Monthly, by, VOL. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO»., N. Y., SEPTEMBER, 1871. No. 9. Which shall we Worship—Person. - or?Princip1es '? Was Jesus a S/za/rer ? The people calzled Shakers do not conﬁne their conduct -of -life within the circle of extreme self-denial, ‘because any individ- ual preceding {them has chosen so to live; nor ‘because any individual has taught self-denial as salvation. Their lives are the results of active principles, being thoroughly wrought out, regardless of who has declared them right, or who may pro- claim them erroneous. If satisfactory results are reached, it is a matter of small consequence to us, whether John the Bap- tist failed, or Jesus succeeded. Among hero-worshippers, the Shakers will never be classed, for they are guided in their conduct by no man nor woman that ever lived; considering every man as good as Jesus, who lives as obediently to the Christ principles as he did; and honoring, equally well with Mother Ann Lee, she who as thoroughly lives to right- eousness and dies to sinfulness as did the founder of the Shaker fraternity. Vile believe in the multiplicity of Christs; are individually aiming to be Christs»; and have full faith in the possibility of becom- ing as good ‘as Jesus was, and as perfect as he is in the home of his Father. Vile love ‘the principles that made him the A-nointed, ‘or Ckrést ; and believing that “like causes produce like effects” in religious life, -as truly as in Worldly phi- losophy, we have clothed our lives with these principles, and are successfully achieving the regenerative, -Christian trans- formation-—and we ﬁnd that it pays, to some ﬁve, to others ten, and to many one hundred-fold of superior joys to those it cuts off by self-denial. _ VVe call ourselves lChris’t'ians, and right- fully too, because We have chosen as our pattern, the principles that made Jesus, the Christ—“the first-born" of many breth- ren ” yet to be born; and not because of any personal attachment to the man Jesus, for some particular act of courtesy on his part. Jesus never did use. personal favor that we know of»; while the Spirit Christ has blessed him with salvation and redemp- tion, and will do-—-is doing the same for us. This Spirit we worship ; this Spz'r2't is an emanation from our F at/zer and ]lIot7zer—GOD! This same Spirit visited Ann Lee, and transformed her Gentile nature into Christian sainthood, the same as it had regenerated a Jewish disposition in Jesus, making it a pioneer in Chris- tianity! VVe'love Jesus,‘ for his faithfulness to principles he believed to be true ; for dying in their defense, rather than saving his physical and sensual life, which was in his power to do, by truculently proving false to the principles that were his salvation; and faithfulness to which, will alone be the salvation of the race. -Had Jesus proved false to his commission, he would have merited our religious reprobation, as con-: sistently as Benedict Arnold deserved political denunciation from the American people. The people of the United States mistakenly revere the ‘name of George Washington-—i*t is to the principles that guided him, they mean to do political homage. Had Washington proved a trai- tor, the prtnciples would have sought out another, who would have been the agent, through ‘whom freedom from political and religious thraldom would have been effect- ed. VVhile rational Christians will ever have cause for respecting Jesus, they will not be Christians because he became one, but because of their deep love for the prin- ciples by Which he overcame the world; and through which active principles they may all “go and do likewise.” Were there any consistency in the theory of the vicarious atonement ; if the blood of J esus‘ physical body was any more powerful for salvation than that of any -other being—- Jew or Grentile——in this degree only, would we be warranted in substituting the person, for the heavenly principles of Christianity, in our devotional Worship. The medicine which ‘made Jesus, the Christ, is -the pan- acea for all the ills the soul has inherited or may contract; and will make of each and all, Christs, as truly as Jesus became so, by their taking the same prescription —being obedient to the same beautiful, resurrecting principles. ' And until the fact ’(?) is make apparent, that Jesus took the medicine, and we are saved in con- sequence, let our standard of worship be as the majority of professional Christians ‘reverse of Jewish customs, and of present the principles of a godly life, while the personalz'tz'es who carry them out, come in for our secondary respect. Jesus, having carried out the soul-elevating principles of the Christ Spirit, became thereby the ensampleby which others might learn of the principles, and how they can be suc- cessfully prosecutcd for the redemption of human loss. As Jesus became a Chris- tian by obedience to principles of the heavenly world, so we may safely take Jesus for our guide in making our Chris- tian progres. By substituting the person for the true principles worthy ‘of worship, the majority of mankind have become pro- fessional idolaters, forgetfrfl, or indifferent of their duty ‘as true Christians. They worship the man J esus, while they hate the principles of self-denial by which he became the Christ’! They Worship the medium of the ‘good Spirit ‘operating two thousand years ago, while they are dis- gusted with ‘the motive power that made that medium then, and similar mediums to-day! That motive power was and is, the principles of SELF-DENIAL. They ' made Jesuswhat he became; they have made the Shakers what they are; and will the lives of Jesus and the Shakers bear comparison ? Jesus was a Jew; and, unvisited by the progressive Christ, would have engaged in Jewish life, and followed Jewish customs. He would have married him a wife, or. many of them, as was the_practice. He abstained-—he lived a. virgin life. Herein, have the Shakers followed the guidance of the same pri*uc~iples. Has popular Chris- tianity? The Jews revelled in the bloody exploits of war-—J esus refrained entirely from war-r-—-so have, and ‘do the Shakers. Have popular Christians? The Jews were emulous of each other in worldly honor and riches; Jesus, as a. Jew, would have attempted to have been the richest, just do to-day; but he could not, while obedi- ent to the Christ principle of equality. His counsels on this subject were the very popular Christianity. “My Church has neither rich nor poor——all are equally comfortable,” is the testimony of Jesus-— 66 TI-IE SI-IAI{ER. was the practice of Jesus-«and the Shakers engage in the same laudable enterprise. There has ever been wealth enough in the world to make all very comfortable ; and whose indulges in the least extravagance, is amenable before the law of Christ, of rob- bing his neighbor and adding to the miseries of life! Truly, it will be worth a journey to the Spirit land, to see the Dives and the Lazarus principles meet; to see thekings and beggars; the tyrants and down-tro-dden ;. Bacchuses and Father Matthews; libertines and virgins, all pre- senting themselves for reward, “ according as their works have been.” And now, will Shaker testimony, principles and life, com- pare with the same that governed Jesus? If so, was Jesus a Shaker? Or, are the Shakers Christians 2 In the degree that there is comparison between the principles of the Primitive Christian Church and the Modern Shaker Church, is not one as worthy of cncorniams as the other? And yet, while millions are worshipping Jesus, they are as truly ignoring Christian prin- ciples ! And did Jesus live upon the earth to-day, preach the same gospel that he did two thousand years ago, there would be a popular falling off of worshipful masks; and if the times would not permit popular . Christians to crucify him, as they would desire to do, he would be shunned and . ridiculed by them, and as he walked the streets, ﬁngers would rise, and tongues exclaim, ‘.‘ THERE cons A SHAKER! ” * Labor is Worship. PART Sneoxn. The testimony handed down from Jesus regu- lates labor in all Christian Churches. Paul says to the Thessalonians, “We hear that there are some among you disorderly, working not at all, but are buisy bodies. New such we command by our Lord Jesus Christ (by his authority), that with quietness they work and eat their own bread.” Paul was a regular member of the Church at Jerusalem; he knew the order which Jesus had revealed to the twelve to regulate teinporal and spiritual things. What he had learned there he taught as true Christian theology. If work was not required of all able to perform it, would Paul have dared place Jesus as the author of it, and pronounce those’ disorderly who did not practice it? If it were not so, would he have ordered the Church to cut off those who refused to practice it, rich or poor? How could there have been equity in that Church more than in the Shaker Church with- out such a rule for all P VVith them as with us, the quiet were busy bodies and mischief makers; authors of strife and discord. Industry enjoined as a means to extend Charity. Paul on labor was universal; to the Roman brotherhood he writes: “Be affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor pre- ferring one another. Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; distribu- ting to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality.” Taking the above as the test, can an indolent professor serve the Lord P Can he be fervent in spirit? From his own industry he can neither distribute to the necessities of the saints nor perform true hospitality. The Shaker Order proves that as self-denial of spirit, works the soul gradually into the heavenly state, just so, by consecrated physical labor we accumu- late means to help support the Church and perform all deeds of Christian libera-lity and charity. The primitive Church commanded to secure means by labor, to pay all just debts. Paul says to the Church, “ W'e beseech you, brethren, that ye study to be quiet, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that ye walk honestly toward them that are without, that ye lack nothing.” Theapostle here instructs the Christian to peaceably ‘mind his own business; be honest in his dealings; pay all his just debts; to be industrious and diligent to enable him to do so and stand independent. Mother Ann and her i successors said, “ Do not overreach in business; A right all wrongs, and pay all just debts.” This is the true believer’s ground ; his theology on the virgin life; confession ; restitution ; peni- tence and consecrated inheritance; and a Church Zthus cut off from the world, must have the great principle of honest toil and joint labor to carry out these, and other Christian principles, and exist in competency. Paul parting with his Gentile Brethren. The time arrived that Paul was to bid fare- well to the Gentile Churches. He was followed by many leading Elders and others, to the place where he was to take passage. He went These pillars of the faith had seen him from the commencement of his labors among them, . ‘sarily requires a knowledge of the Christian ‘character, as illustrated by acknowledged and had witnessed his patience in persecution, trials among the false-hearted, and his long—suﬁ'ering among weaker members of his ﬂock. He met them at the celebrated city Miletus, which lay twelve or ﬁfteen leagues from Ephesus. Here, with many warnings, he showed them the probability that after his return to Jerusalem they would see his face no more. They knew that without price or being a burden, he had committed the gospel to their trust, for which they were to be responsible. In recalling the fruits of his labor he said: “ I have coveted no man’s_ silver, gold, nor apparel. Ye know that these hands have min- istered to my necessities; I have showed you that so laboring, ye ought to support the weak; and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, ‘ It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” The apostle was in an‘ enviable condition to balance accounts. Ilis poverty and hand labor, connected with his gospel life and ministry, clothed him in rairnent clean and white. If any could present a Christ—like standing, and feel his dignity of it, it was Paul at Miletus in the presence of his brethren. How tender must have been the parting scene, “when they all wept and fell on his neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of i all for the words, that they should see his face no more.-” Scenes like this we have witnessed- When the faithful have been taken away ; their just life, virtues, and consecrated toil have so long proved to‘all their devotion, that like Paul’s brethren we have sorrowed most of all, that in this world we should see their faces no more. The Restoration of Dorcas. The restoring to life of Dorcas, by Peter, was his greatest gift. This honor was not reserved for some great teacher or renowned apostle, but for an obscure Sister of Charity, who appears to have purchased material and made garments with her own hands for the destitute. When Peter arrived at that house of mourning, many stood by weeping; and pointed to the works of her hands. The res- toration of this disinterested saint, to her labors, sets the broad seal of God’s approba- tion upon consecrated labor in the most beau- tiful form it could have been handed down through centuries. Conclusion. We are not informed who fabricated the story that poverty caused the hand labor of the apostles ; that when the Churches became wealthy, salaries were substituted for toil. But we do know that the foregoing statements _ of the first Christian teachers, emphatically contradict it. Their example in this matter was indis- pensable, as clearly as any other in the Christian faith. This duty carried out, re- moves want, poverty, indolence; and ﬁlls the Church with peace and plenty. It is the great roller, which levels all ranks and distinctions, to one condition. It is the parent of honesty, justice ynd charity; it opens wide the door to contentment, health and happiness. to Ephesus and called the Elders of that Church 7' also, to exchange the last friendly greetings. . WM. Lnonann. What is Man, as a Christian? A lucid answer to the interrogatory, neces- legitimate authority. The teachings of the founder of the Christian religion, or rather the .jdoctrines of Him who was the exponent of that ,religion, should be correctly understood. In Christ’s sermon on the mount, are to be found truths, unmistakable and instructive; gelucidating Christian life and duty. It is ex- plicitly declared in that discourse, that man is commended to God, only by his good works- his righteousness; which must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees, who were the strictest and most religious sect of the Jews, God’s peculiar people, or he shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven; that by the merits of any being but himself only, can he be saved. To the world, the Christian’s light must be the strongest; a light that will shine before all men; and that he shall both do and teach the commandments of God, which lead men to be perfect, even as our Father in heaven is per- fect ; that is, to be true to conscience and faithful to convictions of right ; to be self- sacriﬁcing, self-denying to all ungodliness; under no circumstances to lose control of him- self, or to cease the restraint of his passions ; ‘ ._.i.. . wrﬂ... .. 17$, TI-IE 6'7’ 1I1(‘IV61‘ reviling nor speaking evil of another; and however another may differ from him in opinion or in caste, never tolerating in his heart the action of a spirit of persecution. The Christian man is meek, merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker with all, loving all, even his enemies ; praying for all, even for those who despitefully use him; doing to others whatso- ever he would they should do unto him, thereby becoming to the earth, salt which hath not lost its savor. By the language and spirit of the sermon, man, as a Christian, has not the right to take the life of his fellow, neither to be angry with him. It is not his prerogative to reproach him with hard words, to call him fool, or say to him Race, 3. term of contempt. He shall not commit an unchaste act, or indulge in his heart a sensation of lust, and stand guiltless before God; and rather than be offended by any member of his body, however dear, as the eye or the hand, and perish by its retention, it would be better to cast it from him. The same authority that calls upon man to purify his imaginations, the thoughts of his heart, demands the puriﬁcation of his language. The tongue is an uruly member, requiring a strict Watch to prevent vulgarisms and profanity. ‘ y The spirit which takes hold of language, bears equally upon the habits and manners of man ; it takes cognizance of his life, in toto. His oﬁice is to watch and pray, and that continu- ally. If he would be forgiven of his trespasses, he must first forgive those who trespass against him; if he would have others love, bless and dogood to him, he must ﬁrst love, bless and do good to them. Of others, it is not his province to judge; all men are known by the fruit of human life. Therefore we have before us a standard, a criterion simple and unclouded, whereby all may know how much they are in possession of the baptism of the spirit of Christ. And let him who is in sympathy with the evils of the present, adulterous generation, who fosters worldly relations and caters to self; who gives encouragement to the gross passions and animal desires of an uncircumcised heart, no more name the name of Christ, or look to Him for atonement, until he ﬁnds repentance, and sub- mits to the payment of the utmost farthing, for every willful transgression against known light. A. PERKINS, Enﬁeld, N. H. Reason. It is perfectly legitimate for any person to declare a.belief——-to say I believe thus or so ; but this is a very different thing from reason- ing to prove such belief to be true. N 0 person should enter the precincts of reason for the sole purpose of proving a belief to be true, but they may reason to ascertain Whether the belief be'true or false, or whether it contains anything false. Nothing is more dangerous than the pride of self—opinion ; “under this inﬂuence men seek applause instead of truth.” It has been said, and I believe truly, that “man on earth lives three lives [or has three planes of being], the ﬁrst, ﬂnimal ; second, Intellectual; third, Spiritual. The ﬁrst, nur- tured by the sun ; the second, by books, and the thoughts of others; the third, by the beams of Deity, ever present in the mind,” or, as Pope more properly states it, “ God in the mind.” There are specific laws by which each should be governed. Of the ﬁrst, physiologists have given abundant instruction; of the second, philosophers, logicians and orthocpists have spread before us a sea of information, beyond our means and power or necessity to fully explore. In these two ﬁelds we cannot lead, “ for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.” But of the third, and by far the most important, I do not hesitate to declare that Believers, or Shakers, stand in the foreground to—day of the whole world, and this is said in no boasting spirit. In support of this declaration, but one evidence will I offer in the words of Christ: “By their fruits shall ye know them.” Of the two ﬁrst, however, the world are in ad- vance of the “children of light,” who may well stand, “cap in hand,” and take lessons on the laws of health, and laws governing reason on the intellectual plane. But the “ children of light” being in the asccndant in spiritual life, should “let their light so shine, that the world seeing their good works may glorify their Father and Mother in heaven.” As we proceed on the spiritual plane, we more and more take cognizance of the ﬁeld of inspiration and revelation, which is the arcana from whence proceeds all soul sustenance. But all inspirations or revelations are not reliable; hence, says Locke: “If reason must not ex- amine the truth of revelation or persuasion by something extrinsical to the persuasions them- selves, truth and falsehood will have the same measure, and will not be possible to be dis- tinguished.” But he confesses the fallacy of this test, by the following admission : “ I grate- fully receive, and rejoice in the light of revela- tion, which sets me at rest in many things, the manner whereof my poor reason can by no means make out for me;” thus admitting some inspirations to be self-poised, above and out of the reach of reason’s inquiry, Whilst others are of a metaphorical character. For light, knowledge, progress and growth on this spiritual plane, Christ, in his ﬁrst and second appearing, in his living body, is the pole—star, the magnet to which the needle of every compass should tremblingly point, and every soul submit. For these lofty and sublime inspirations the mediums are not accountable ; but it is inadmissible for the uninspired to postulate conditions above reason’s inquiry, which it is as contradictory to affirm as to deny-—thus adhering to the exploded doctrine, “ that I know, without knowing what I know.” Such postulates are considered chimerical or fanciful; of such, Hume very pertinently re- marks, “ nothing is more dangerous to reason than the ﬂights of imagination, and nothing has been more the occasion of mistakes among philosophers.” “ But,” says Hamilton, “the most complex Web of thought can be reduced tosyllogisms, and when this is done their truth or falsehood, in a logical relation, ﬂashes at once into view.” So we may reason logic- ally or illogically from true or false premises Logic does not pretend to unveil the truth of the proposition, but it tells with unerring cer- tainty whether the reasoning is sound or un- sound. But, descencling from the spiritual to the intellectual life and plane of being, and of pure reason, we should rigidly conform to the laws by which minds in the intellectual world are governed, because, if we do not, they will apply them, and will not admit, as they should not, anything that does not conform to them ; hence on such our labors would be entirely lost. As a caution, and for the sake of some who may not be ‘familiar with them, I will here take the liberty to enumerate some of the rules which philosophers include under what they term “ The Law of Parcimony,” none of which can in safety be overlooked or neglected by the correct reasoner, viz. : 1. In pure reason, we should take nothing for granted but what is _self—evident. 2. If a known cause is sufficient, we must not postulate an unknown. 3. Introduce nothing occult into the question. 4. Use no term of varied or doubtful mean- ing in the same thesis. Without deﬁning it. 5. All reasoning depends on two things, viz., analysis and synthesis. 6. VVe should never rest so long as there is aught vague or indeﬁnite in our reasonings; so long "as we have not analyzed every notion in its elements, and excluded the possibility of all lurking ambiguity in our expressions. Although we may not arrive at truth, with care we can always avoid self—contradiction. 7. An induction which does not proceed upon a competent analysis, or enumeration of particulars, is either doubtful, improbable or null ; for all synthesis depends upon a foregone analysis for whatever degree of certainty it may pretend to. 8. All parts of the predicate must be parts i' of the subject, and every element rejected as hypothetical which the analysis does not spon- taneously afford. 9. An hypothesis to be legitimate is, that the facts in explanation of which it is devised be ascertained really to exist, and be not them- selves hypothetical. 10. The fact which a legitimate hypothesis ex- plains must be within the sphere of experience. 11. The phenomenon in question must, by analysis, be reduced to its simplest elements ; and‘ no phenomenon be assumed as elementafy which can be reduced to simpler principles, and no elementary phenomenon overlooked, and no foreign or imaginary element interpolated. 12. If the analysis is incomplete, the syn- thesis will be incomplete also, and the conclu- sion unreliable. 13. _No conclusion must contain more than the premises analyzed. 14. If one cause is suﬁicient to explain the phenomenon, we should not postulate a second. 15. A legitimate hypothesis must save the phenomenon which it is invented to explain, without exclusion, distortion or diminution. The foregoing rules and selections, if strictly adhered to, are sufficient to secure any reasoner from the shafts of a rational criticism; but if they are ignored and lightly set aside by any, such may be made to feel the power of any capable critic, who may think their productions worthy of a rigid scrutiny. H. L. Eanss, South Union, Ky. 68 THE SIIAKER. Bread.‘ The following article from the conservative Scientilﬁc ﬂmerican, is valuable from the source of its origin, as showing a steady growth of common sense on that very common subject - Bread. - Something about Bread. “A subject that interests everybody is that of bread-making, and as a general thing there is too much popular ignorance respecting it. In the process of grinding wheat for superﬁne ﬂour, the outer shell, composed chieﬂy of glu- ten, being tenacious and adhesive, comes from the mill in ﬂakes with the bran, and is sifted out, While the starch is pulverized and consti- tutes the ﬁne ﬂour. Thus the starch, which is the chief element in ﬁne ﬂour, is saved, which contains no food for brain and muscle; and the gluten, containing phosphates and nitrates which furnish support for brain, bone and muscle, is cast away with the bran, and is fed to horses, cattle and pigs. And this is the kind of fkour that makes nine—tenths of the bread in the American cities, besides all that is used in cakes, puddings and pastry. A method of making bread from whole wheat, without previously grinding it into ﬂour, has been devised by a Frenchman named Sezile. 41 Ifealthy Bread. The most economical and best bread, espec- ially in cold weather, when a hot ﬁre is con- stantly kept, is what is sometimes called gems, or unleavened biscuits. For this purpose a group ofcast iron pans or cups two and a half by three and a. half inches each, all made in one cast—. ing, is used. These pans are set on the top of a hot stove and allowed to become almost smok- ing hot when buttered for use. Then with cold water and milk, half-and-half, or with cold water alone, and the colder the better, mix and stir quickly, with a stiff spoon, as much‘ Graham or unbolted wheat-meal as will make 9. thick batter or thinnish mush; and when the pans are hot, ﬁll them quickly with the thin dough, and let them stand a minute on the stove before putting into a very hot oven, where they should remain twenty or twenty—ﬁve minutes until done. If the mixture be neither too thin nor too stiff, and the pans and the oven be hot, you will have twelve as light and wholesome biscuits as any epicure could wish to eat. They may be eaten smoking warm from the oven, as they contain no poisonous chemical elements like yeast bread, which re- quires cooling to be rid of. They are good cold, or may be warmed in a steam kettle. Anybody, however unskilled in cooking, can learn to make these, light and nice every time. Nice, fresh wheat-meal, very cold wetting quickly done, with a very hot place to bake them, will insure the best of “luck ” always. These, like all other Graham bread, should be fresh every day. For growing children, and those people who work or think, and especially students and sedentary persons, there is no other bread, and scarcely any’ other single article of food, that equals it. Let the poor who cannot afford to lose fourteen per cent of the grain in the cast-off bran; let those whose bones and mus- cles are small, tending to rickets and spinal the water! curvature; let invalids and dyspeptics try it, and they will never go back to superﬁne bread simply because it looks white and nice, and, when dry, is more pleasant to the mouth than the brown.” VVe have been in the constant use of whole wheat ﬂour for. some thirty years, and have but just attained to a satisfactory mode of making bread from it. Many amongst us eat none but unleavened coarse meal—ﬁour bread; and as they think, with a decided advantage to their health. F. WV. EVANS. HI3TORICAL. It will, no doubt, be interesting to many to know or some of the personal trials to which Mother Ann, and her immediate followers, were necessarily subjected. It becomes the faithful historian not to neglect a chapter like the present one. While the Shakers are somewhat noted for their well-loaded tables, choice viands, comfortable buildings, etc., it will do none of us harm to reﬂect upon the fortitude of those who, “ for their faith, endured. all things I” * In 1788, being the ﬁrst year I lived‘ at Water- vliet, we were brought under great suﬁ'-'eri=ngs respecting our temporal concerns. As money was scarce, Believers in general were brought under sufferings; being in poor circumstances, and not being allowed to run in debt, rendered the procuring of I subsistence, for the early part of the season, very precarious. Our principal food was rice and milk; sometimes we went to the river to procure ﬁsh. Sturgeon, and a few other kinds of ﬁsh, were everything of meat kind we obtained for a number of months. We had but little and sometimes no bread, butter, nor cheese, but upon this simple fare we sub- sisted during the spring and summer. Our employments were principally planting, sowing grain, haymaking and harvesting. All our work was very laborious, and at the end of the season we looked more like skeletons than laboring men, being greatly depreciated in weight. time, that, although we could work, We could not run the distance of twenty rods. Our breakfast consisted of a small bowl of porridge ; supper the same; dinner, a small bit of cake, about two-and-a-half inches square, which Aaron Wood cut_ up and gave to us; this we ate during the days of labor; on Sabbath we ate very little, if anything. One day, Joseph Preston, and another bro- ther, went to the river to catch herring, and Joseph stated that he was so hungry, that he ate two raw ﬁsh as soon as they came out of Many times, in the course of the summer, I thought that if I could only get to my mother’s swill pail, I would have skimmed it immediately, and thereby appeased my hunger. \Ve had but little house room, and, of course, had to lie upon the ﬂoor, having no convenience for lodging. Fifteen of us laid upon the ﬂoor in one room; some had one blanket to cover them, while others had none, and nought for a pillow but a handkerchief, or a chair turned down so as to recline upon its back. In this way we lodged during that season. When our crops began to ripen, and potatoes were eatable, we began to live better, having a supply of milk to eat with our potatoes, boiled or roasted. VVe were so faint for some length of I The same year there was a famine in the ' vicinity of Lake George, and large donations of flour, grain, beef and pork, with other necessaries of life, were sentito the sufferers by the citizens of Albany; myself with others were hired to convey those donations to Crown Point. One day, when we had almost reached our destination, we stopped at a small hut in the woods to obtain a little refreshment. On arriving at the door, we found it was inhabited by a woman and three little children. Making known our business, she replied : “ I have not had a mouthful of bread, meat nor potatoes in my house for three months.” We asked her what she did subsist upon? She replied: “ When the briar leaves began to grow in the spring, I boiled them and eat them with milk, for we have one cow to support us; and this is the way that we have lived for three months past.” When we had ﬁnished our journey, and re- tuned with the products of our.labors, We bought grain and ﬂour, which was the ﬁrst of any consequence we had been able to obtain during that season. The blessing of God began to smile upon us, and our labors yielded more plentifully than we had expected. We began to prosper in temporal things; to increase in strength of body, and were more able to praise God for his goodness. Father Joseph Meacham would often exhort believers to bear sufferings with patience and fortitude, encouraging, that the time would come, if they were faithful and industrious, that they and their children would have a plenty, and some to give to those who were more needy. These words have been veriﬁed in a wonderful and striking manner. JONATHAN CLARK, Harvard. I Think, The world demands a. gospel of salvation, that will comprehend and meet its present con- ditions, physically and spiritually. N 0 reliance can be placed on any faith in religion that will not bear the severest scientiﬁc investigation. No human soul ought to believe in any system of theology that will yield itself subserviently to the demands of human nature depraved; or which can be bought or sold as the commonest merchandise. Let the whole world have a thorough knowledge of the true Christian. faith, that will bring both body and soul up to the highest state of excellence; and may God speed the day. G. B. PRICE, Shakers, N .Y. A Young Vegetarian. Grace Bowers, aged eight years, having eaten no meat nor butter for ﬁve years, is healthy and intelligent, always waking up in the morn- ing laughing—an infallible test of good temper. Grace was sent to the Oﬂice upon an errand, when one of the Sisters kindly offered her a piece of. white bread and butter, with some sugar upon it (not knowing her vegetarian- ism). “ I do not eat white bread nor butter,” said Grace. “ Well, Grace, what do you eat P ” “ I eat brown, unleavened bread; but I do not need anything now, for I have just eaten a good dinner.” _ Any boy or girl who will thus subject appe- tite to a principle, is laying a solid foundation for a useful character. F. W. Evans. TI-IE SHAKER. 69 An Address. BY ANTOINETTE DOOLITTLE. My loved gospel kindred, I am happy to meet you in this beautiful, shady grove. We have not met here merely as friends; we hold a nearer relation to each other. We claim to be brethren and sisters in Christ, helping to form aspiritual household, honoring our hea- venly parents, the great Head of the family, who have raised a standard around which we gather, and under which we cheerfully serve. Purity, peace and liberty is written thereon, and the Prince of all princes has especial charge of it. To those who have not gathered to it, and found protection under its folds, it does not appear beautiful nor symbolical of liberty. But those who have been led by the spirit_ of truth, and schooled in spiritual philosophy, feel that it signiﬁes to them liberty in its fullest, broadest sense. While the Prince of Peace guards this ban- ner, and _those who dwell under it, the war cry, “ to arms,” and the doleful sound that comes to many desolate homes, and pierces the hearts of surviving friends, because of the demoniac War forces, which send the arrows of death alike into the palace and cottage, until the whole land is draped in mourning for the loss of loved ones, cannot reach us. I have not many words for this occasion, but I want to make you, my dear brethren and sisters, feel that my heart beats with deep emotions of love for you all; and I hope this may be a season of rejoicing to every one pre- sent. Let us take comfort—have an intellectual and social feast, under the direction of the higher law; and it will be like clusters of grapes from the immortal summer land, and wine Well reﬁned from dregs; a foretaste of the pure wine which We, if faithful to our high calling, shall drink with Christ and the redeem- ed of all kindreds and nations, in the perfected kingdom of God. Let us all, by one united effort, raise the standard of Gospel purity a little higher to-day, that it may Wave in the pure breezes over us as it has never done before, that our joy may be enhanced and our peace ﬂow like a river. - There seems to be something very congenial in the atmosphere in and around this place. Our annual gatherings here, probably, make us feel a little like some of the ancients, who sought out some quiet retreat in the glens, or on the mountains, that they might the more effectually consecrate themselves to devotional life and religious fervor; to perform their sacred vows, and drink in the inspiration of the Almighty! So interblended became their feelings with the scenery surrounding them, the sods upon which they had knelt in solemn prayer, and rested their bodies when the cur- tains of night were drawn around them, the trees that had sheltered them, and even the rocks Whereon they had sat in silent medita- tion, had become so sacred to them, that it was something like parting soul and body when they left those places, so strongly were they at- tached to them. One is said to have expressed his feelings thus : “ O,'king of mountains, rich in purifying streams, adieu I I have passed happy days upon thy heights. I have nourished myself with the delicious fruits thou hast pro- duced, and have quenched my thirst with the clear waters that flow from thy summit. Oh, mountain, free from sin! Like unto a living child, happy on the breast of his father (mother), have- I enjoyed myself upon thy bosom.” There is something peculiar in meetings in the open air——in God’s great temple. As far back as our history reaches, religionists in an especial manner, from time to time, have sought some spot under the blue arched canopy where they could breathe freely, and commune with higher intelligences. And as we look over Bible history, we ﬁnd recorded upon its pages that God, when He Was about to reveal some new truth, or give some new commandment to his servants, and desired to draw near unto them, and draw them nigh unto himself for that purpose, He ealled them to some secluded place in theivale, or on the mountain, away from the multitudinous 'throng and busy hum of life, that they might the more easily hear the voices of messengers which He sent unto them, and receive their ministrations of love. For, as God is love, there can nothing emanate from Him but what will eventuate in love, and,- in the ﬁnal issue, be to the soul as the dews of the morning from the everlasting hills. By this, it would seem that there may be clearer perceptions of Divine truth, and the spiritual senses be unfolded and intensiﬁed to a greater degree in the vast temple which God hath made, than within the walls of any house built by human hands. WV hen he was about to teach Abraham les- sons of faith and obedience, He called him to ascend a mountain, apart from his kindred and country, and there He communed with him, and put his ﬁdelity to the severest test. Not for himself alone, was Abraham’s faith tried, but for the race. He was a representative man. He passed through that severe ordeal unscathed, and for his unﬂinching ﬁdelity to the right he was called ﬂbraham the Faithful. And, to- day he stands as a beacon light upon that mountain, and as a reproof to this disobedient and faithless generation. Again, when God raised up his servant Moses, through whom He gave a new code of laws to the ancient Jews, instituted a high school of learning, and appointed Moses the principal, He brought him to Mount Sinai, and led him up thither, and, through appointed agencies, poured out his spirit upon him, and Moses there received such manifestations of the Divine presence that the mountain shock, and himself and people quaked with fear, and rever- ential awe. He became a medium of the great- est manifestation of spiritual power upon material things-—the most complete blending of spirit and matter——of any upon record, and was the greatest minister of physical truth. We will not tarry longer with the more ancient people, who sought the open temple to make their strongest vows of consecration, and to receive new hopes, new impulses, and new aspirations ; we will pass by the prophetic seers, and only, as we journey along, take note that the spiritual waters gradually rose higher and higher, until we ﬁnd ourselves with Jesus and the twelve. How often did Jesus go forth to some favor- ite mountain! to a desert place or garden, leading his little band thither, that with them he might pour forth strong cries to his Heav- enly Father and Mother! and to teach his disciples important truths concerning ‘the kingdom of God! And who has ever been able to speak words so rich in principle, so full of promise, so binding upon the conscience, and so free from human taint, as is the sermon on the Mount, which he delivered? Ah, then the Christ spirit spake as never man spake! We never tire of reading or re- peating that sermon. It has passed the lips of millions, and still it is new. Was it not a lamp lighted from the great source of Light, by direct inspiration at that time, whose light can never be extinguished or hid, and placed upon a hill to illumine the Pilgrim’s path down through the ages? How plainly the Christian’s duty, life and character is marked out in that sermon. ‘Let its light shine, and may its power he felt ! And how profound and heavenly must have been the season when Jesus and his three loved disciples Went together to the Mount, where Jesus was transﬁgured before them, and their vision was opened to see those two spirits-— Moses and Elias—-with whom he was in com- munion ! True, they did not fully comprehend the signiﬁcance of that interview, and Peter thought if they could build tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elias, they would take up their abode in that mountain, and there they could often commune with them . Their spiritual emotion was so great that they exclaimed: “It is good to be here!” Who can wonder that they wished to retain those spirits, and the heavenly inﬂuence which pervaded their sphere? Let us seek to draw such pure and heavenly inﬂuences around us to—day, that we also may say, “ It is good for us to be here!” Oral Confession. Why should I orally confess to man? is the ﬁrst and most important question the Christian Shaker is called to answer. On the under- lying principles embodied in the right perform- ance of this work, depends the prosperity of the spirit’s travel away from the entanglements of sin. As God himself is the breath of life in man, it is evident that all souls have latent within them the motive to begin their progress to- wards Him, and it becomes the ﬁrst labor of the teacher of righteousness to inspire souls with the faith that they are the ones called, and promised forgiveness, and they shall have power given to rise in life if they will. “ Come unto me all ye weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Souls do not rise from a sinfulstate without a full knowledge of the effect of sin ; the avenues of its approach ; and a thorough sense of shame at the digression from the state of innocence implanted in their creation. This requires deep thought; conﬂicts terribly with the passionate element within, until this know- ledge is obtained. This is the ﬁrst, severest and most important phase of confession, with- out Which any verbal statement is useless, liable to be dishonest and undertaken for mere hope of present absolution, yielding no victory. It is this spirit of close self-examination that has enabled thousands of noble witnesses in . with evil. 70 THE SHAKER. the past and present to contend successfully To the discerning eye of faith, all the moral virtue, the Christianity and victory over wrong, is the sequence of confession, and without confession of sin there is no real faith in Christ. “ Confess your faults one to another,” indicates the work of the Primitive Christians; “Now, go thy way and sin no more,” implies that sin had been confessed. Is the artless confession of the child to its mother, “ I stole the apple,” or, “ Father, I did tell a lie,” less binding on the maturer child, who, with greater experience and strength of spirit, should know and shun the evil before him ? If the humiliation is too great, at what price shall we be bought, and what of the fact, “ Except ye become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom? ” Man, being made in the’ image of God, and receiving a breath of His life, we hope to ﬁnd in all grades of human development evidence of those laws which ultimately are to govern, and lead to happiness. To instance the invol- untary use of the direct statement of facts, as a medium of healing to the wounded spirit, how , often do those who are weighed down with grief or guilt, the consequence of some misstep, seek a near friend to help them bear the trial of soul, and what so likely to soothe the mind with a feeling of forgiveness as this knowledge ? “ I have honestly appreciated my wrong, and confessed the fact, and God has promised to forgive ;” hereby realizing that “ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unright— eousness.” There is a restraint put upon our desires, by suffering the consequences of violated law, as the sickness and pain inﬂicted by intemperance; but, does this restraint work a moral elevation above the reach of self-interest? or, does the spirit’s elevation commence Where self-interest has ﬁnished its work? We know there is a manner of confession only unto death, in which the carnal mind , glories in its shame, or unfeelingly cries, “Lord, thou knowest I am the chief of sinners,” and sins accordingly. We have also afaith, eternal as the spirit, in a confession unto life, whereby the soul can disrobe from every sinful element; the lusts of’ the world; its intemperance, ambitions and pride; its abuse of the beauti- ful, to corrupt it and bring it under bondage to self. This is the gospel that Jesus sent his disciples into all the world to teach; and in the goodness of God we rejoice that in this, our day, He has proclaimed the same testimony again, by the same spirit now making itself manifest in the followers of, or believers in, the mission of Ann Lee, who confess their sins; nor this alone, but do forsake them, thus engaging in the only acceptable repentance. HENRY HOLLISTER, Mt. L. The advantage of living does not consist in length of days, but in the right improvement of them. There is a treasure which no self-seeking being ever found; which no created hand can bestow or take away; which no outward events or revolutions can destroy. It is an inward consciousness of the presence and participation of the Divine nature, gradually but certainly renewing the soul, purifying the affections, (lestroying the sensual and building up the heavenly. In a word. it is the conscious. eternal evidence given to the soul by the Divine and infallible voice within, which says : “Behold me, creating all things anew." Fair Dealing. “Render, therefore, to all their dues.”—'PAUL. Selﬁshness is a strongly marked trait of human nature. It not only appropriates what- ever it can grasp, but refuses to others that which justly belongs to them. Personal free- dom seems to it a good, but it is not content with its own ; it must deprive as many as pos- sible of their liberties, merely for its own grati- ﬁcation. Wealth it esteems a desirable thing, but far more desirable when it makes the strong- est possible contrast with poverty. Honor is an inestimable advantage, but only that sort which inﬂates its possessor to extraordinary dimensions. Honor that may be possessed equally by all men is to it an absurdity. The degradation of others, the poverty of others, the tears of anguish caused by selﬁshness, it regards not, only as it may gain some advantage from them. It assumes numerous forms,» and decks itself with a variety of costumes, all of which are extremely gratifying to it. In the light of Christ’s teaching, what is patriotism, but selﬁshness under the guise of a principle ennobling human nature ? As often expressed, it is mere diabolism. “ Our country, our whole country, and nothing but our country.” Our country, whether right or wrong—still, “ our country.” "V There is no need of arguing that such expressions are con- trary to the precepts of J esus-all will admit it; but is it not true that these express the real spirit of patriotism? This will be denied by many who advocate an honorable love of country, and claim nothing for the land of their own birth but what they are willing to concede to others. It may be asked, then, where is their patriotism? They claim for all equal ad- vantages of whatever kind. Has not their patriotism, then, enlarged itself to the love of general humanity ? When the individual ceases to regard his own pleasures, his own liberties, his own welfare as objects to be sought for, re- gardless of the rights and interests of others, he loses the character of a selﬁsh person, and has acquired that of general benevolence. Patriotism, when it has passed beyond the bounds of Fatherland, and takes the wide world in its embrace, has lost its distinctive character, and may as well abandon its name. But there are many who ﬁnd it diflicult to see any good beyond the narrow limits of their own country, or even the particular portion of it in which they were born. Hence arise national and sectional prejudices, the fruitful source of wars. This narrow spirit exhibits itself not only in the national divisions among men, but also in their religious parties. Indeed, it is as strongly intrenched within the walls of the various reli- gious bodies, as anywhere else. These walls its eyes cannot pierce, and it will not venture high enough to look over them, or it might behold without, beautiful landscapes of hill and dale, ﬁeld and forest, and fertilizing streams, equally attractive with anything it can see within. This spirit is invariably strengthened by sectarian organization. Let it be once em- bodied, and it gains the magnetic force of the whole body. Organization is understood to be the marshalling of force in battle array; the building of fortresses on inaccessible heights, not only for defense, but for sallying out on favorable occasions against the enemy. Probably one reason why the Spiritualists have persistently refused to organize into one body, is the fear of shutting in among them- selves just such narrow prejudices as they see in the various religious organizations, and thereby perpetuating them. And yet it may be a question whether they have avoided these prejudices altogether by refusing to organize. Would that which does not already exist be .included in the body, or would organization create it ? They claim to believe in a God of love, just as Jesus Christ did, yet many of them wish it distinctly understood that they have discarded the Christian name. They believe in immortality, as he did, yet say they are not Christians; they admit the fact of intercourse between beings in and out of the body, just as Jesus did, yet they are not Christians. They claim to have enlarged views of Deity; to believe in the ultimate welfare of every individual of the hiiman family; yet the same views have been held for the past century by Unitarians and Universalists—Christian bodies. They take their name from the fact of their having positive evidence of the exist- ence of the human spirit after the death of the body, and of constant intercourse between the dwellers in the spirit world, and those who still have their residence upon the earth. The same has been maintained jfrom the beginning by Shakers, who accept the name of Christian because originally it signiﬁed a. believer in God as inﬁnite love ; in immortality, or the unend- ing existence of all human beings; in eternal life, or the life of God in the soul of man, as the privilege of all who will seek it; and in holiness, as the only means by which eternal life is gained. If Spiritualists can gain it otherwise, then may they with propriety say they are not Christians; if not, is it exactly fair to discard the name, because under it the worst errors and the basest lives have been cloaked? Would it not be just as consistent to refuse the boon of life altogether because every blessing which God has bestowed upon man has been perverted? But Jesus Christ, it has been said, has taught nothing better than other sages, who preceded him by centuries, have taught, and there is no propriety in adopting his name to the exclusion of others; it is, therefore, better to reject them all. N ature’s God reveals himself impartially to all, and has not given his truth to the exclu- sive care of any one. That is so, and yet these truths exist in different persons in vastly differ- ent degrees. The life of God in Christ was manifested in a degree superior to that which was in those who preceded him, as his spirit and life evinced; and such as follow him, in Wholly discarding the narrow, selﬁsh life, as he did, attain to the same degree of the divine life that he did. “ All things are theirs.” It is true, the God of impartial love reveals him- self to all ; it is, then, right to acknowledge him in all. Not in error, nor in vice, which we are all free to combat, but in man as man ; in whatever virtuous principle we can discover, whether in the individual or any collection of persons. If all would ha.ve- more regard for these, and less for those things which offend their tastes, or, more properly, their prejudices, T~I-IE SHAKER . '71 there Would be fewer wars among the nations, less strife and bitterness among the religious sects, and, in a time not far distant, a degree of harmonious action among all classes that would effect the happiest results. Our ignorance of each other is the cause of many, if not the most of our disputes. Selﬁsh surmisings bring about distrust and enmitles. We dare not look each other in the face, hence we cherish respecting each other mere fancies —monsters, in place of the men and women that actually surround us. W’hat though this large body and that, bearing the Christian» name, “ have caused it to be blasphemed,” by reason of their violation of the laws of ‘the Divine Master; they have nevertheless done much to beneﬁt the world, and individuals among them all have been noble examples of every virtue. There are multitudes who have never borne this name, to whom it has not beennsigniﬁcant of any special excellence, yet they have blessed the world in many ways. Let us exalt what- ever is good, and cease to dwell on the evil, and then shall we more easily “ overcome the evil with the good ;” and whatever excellence any of us may have that others have not, will be the more readily acknowledged and accepted. WM. H BUssnLL. My Home. My Shaker home, my happy home! No spot on earth so dear to me ; And if abroad my thoughts do roam, They soon return again to thee. The trees, the houses and the land, Are pleasant objects to my eyes; And dearer still, a loving band— Companions dear, I love and prize. My fairh, more precious still, I ﬁnd ‘Is that which holds me in this way; Not earth, with all her wealth combined, Can lure me from my home to stray. Most hallowed spot, my Shaker home! My interest and my all ’s in thee! And from thee I will never roam, There’s naught on earth so dear to me. And while life’s journey I pursue, In my sweet home I love so well, I’ll keep my heavenly home in view- My future home, where angels dwell. J. C. JILSON, Shirley. Love. Hail! lovely one, and teach me what I ask- “Thence art thou come, and where is thine abode ? What climate dost thou favor most? and where Canst thou ever be found? Dost thou ﬁx thy Home amidst perpetual ﬂowers, whose soft and Fragrant breath spreads balm upon the dewy air ; Whose be-auteous leaves, of velvet touch, cast far and Near a glowing light and hue on all around, Shut in by towering trees, and scented shrubs;—- Whence singing birds, with plumage gay, pour Floods of music on the listening ear; causing The heart quite to forget all else ? Dost thou walk ever with the rich and Powerful ones, on velvet carpets spread out for Thy convenience? looking on naught That can give pain, or cast a shadow on thy Smiling face ? Does pity never stir thy heart? and is thy Bliss complete when thou art far removed From all who seek thy aid ? or Dost thou dwell in wilds unknown to busy, Bustling feet, where man does sometimes Seek to hide even from himself, and from the Outer world; holding communion with his God, and all the orbs on high ? “ Hold! simple one! nor let thy mind he caged And fettered fast with thoughts like these!- Jlfy name is Love! From God I came; and to his throne do straight Ascend the blessed Beings, whom my power Hath taught. On earth I also dwell; My power is known to all; and in no destined Spot do I my home locate. In lofty palaces of state I sometimes stray, But oftenest am I found amidst the lowly Ones of earth, whose simple tones make music On mine car. To truth, indeed, most closely I'm allied, And walk with none who slight her mien, Or cover with a veil her virtuous deeds With scornful lip. Strife ﬂees at my Approach, and hides abashed, poor meagre thing, That apes the powerful mind, and seeks Ascend-ancy as such. I love him not! ’Tween me and him a mark is set, S And When, like fiery steed of war, anxious To plunge into the strife, led on by human ire VVith dripping stee1—or, like the serpent’s Rage, hissing its maddened spite—it rushes On, reckless of friend or foe, there 1 am not. I leave, in dire distress, such vile abodes, And enter not ’till all is calm, and those Poor ones, whom hate hath served, return And seek for me. Then often bitter tears are Shed that Iam gone, and in my stead Hate takes alocal stand. N o genial hand Outstretched to grasp its kind, but callous Heart, and words that wound, embitter all Life’s joys. Angels look down with pity on The scene, and mourn that mortal man will Thus his highest peace and comfort spoil. My mission I fulﬁll. “ Peace on the earth, good will to man,” is my Continual aim. The prattling infant and the Hoary head alike I claim for mine; and often Lay the shining locks of youth, most trustingly Amidst the silver hair of age: then stand and Point. that all may see how blessed is my work! While Virtue’s smiling face assents. I call aloud to all : “Come, enter in my train, And I will give to you more than the earth Doth yield in joy and bliss. The cup which Fell misfortune holds I'll sweeten with a Simple drug, ere proifered to thy lips; and Oft assuage the keenest thirst of pain, and Make thy dying couch feel soft and easy By my gentle touch. Though some my name mistake, or misapply, Or borrow for some selﬁsh end, yet unchanged I remain; and when the counterfeit appears All see it is not me! Companionship with Virtuous deeds alone I hold; and when with Sinful lip my name is spoke, the mask a Single eye can penetrate, and see beneath My borrowed vest a hideous form! Then look for me where I am found, and Listen to my kindly words, for they are True, and unto Heaven will lead thee on." AURILLA Wnrrn, shakers, N. Y. Where is God? He’s in the kindly ‘faces of parents, teachers, friends, And in the goodly graces which love with chiding blends; He ’s in the tender sympathy one feels for other’s woes, And in the warm affection with which the heart o'er- flows. All honest, upright actions, no matter here or there, Bespeak God’s glorious presence, and God's peculiar care. He ’s in’ the beauteous blossom, and in the whispering breeze, And in the sparkling sunbeams Which dance among the trees; He ’s in the sounding music of every rippling rill, And in the bird’s sweet melody, on every woodland ‘hill; He ’s in the grasses waving so gracefully and green, And in the luscious fruitage of autumn, God is seen. In all, where life is teeming, there God our Father dwells, And with his gracious goodness earth’s mighty bosom swells. In the sun’s sweet morning rising, in the pearly drops of dew, And the noon-tide’s bright etfulgence his glorious presence view; When it retires at evening, in gorgeous, grand array, We see therein J ehovah’s mysterious majesty! When the gentle moon arises, and unveils her queenly face, She but reflects an image of his wondrous, loving grace; And in the blue, arched heavens, bespangled o'er with gold, Our God’s unrivalled beauty and changeless love is told! In the fury of the elements, when thunder shakes the main, And in the silent grandeur of the lightning’s lurid ﬂame; In aﬂliction’s fearful tempest, in the spirit’s peaceful calm, Alike we see our Maker-—the loving, Great I Am! Where sin is not, there God is found—-in life tliat’s pure and clean, ‘ And that theology ’s not sound that will not life redeem. HANCOCK. “Should Christians Dance '! ” A correspondent of The Religious Telescope, Dayton, 0., asks, “ Should Christians Dance?” it answering in the negative, expresses wonder, that any one who believes in giving both soul and body entirely to God’s service, should ask such a question. We wonder if it ever read of David’s dancing before the ark “ with all his might ? ” Of the beautiful daughter of the high priest, who went forth with timbrels and dances to greet the conquerors ? Does it recall the circumstance, that when the prodigal son returned, he heard music and dancing? and that out of that house came one, represent- ing our heavenly Parent, God ? Will it be so good as to read the 12th and 13th yerses of 31st Jeremiah, and ponder, particularly long on the latter verse ? We are glad to hear this question asked. Will not some anxious ones inquire, “ Should Christians Fight or Marry, or gratify their appetites in unchristian lusts? should Christians hold private property? should the Christians of one Church be both rich and poor? if so, by whose authority or permission? did the founder of Christianity inaugurate the new doctrine by permitting the above licenses or by abrogating them ? ” There are many practices, worse than dan- cing, in which professional Christians engage without any seeming compunction; but which are disgraceful, and impossible for the practical follower of Christ to endorse. Admitting that David and Miriam were not Christians, yet they are revered by professional Christians, who seem to take no umbrage at their acts. Vile assert, that Christians do dance; and further, that when professors of Christianity shall all have forsaken their ﬂeshly lusts, their pride, and worldly ambitions generally, they will dance with great joy at their deliverance from these bonds ; and still further, that the clergy of to-day, will be among the most powerful dancers. * Publications, previous to “ THE SHAKr:n,” issued by Believers concerning their doctrines, were issued too soon for the appreciation of the world, and may now be laid aside as historical. Something fresh, like new discourses, from the fountain, is always the more palatable. A great many of our fellow beings are now no doubt looking and wishing for something new and higher than the old standard of theology. I have been astonished (particularly in the‘ time of the war) to hear of individuals who had never seen nor heard of the Shakers. So for the sake of sincere souls we are glad to believe “ THE SHAKER. ” is in season. The in- formation respecting the Shakers in this quar= a 72>. .-ii _ I... .. TI-IE SJHAKER ter (Ky.) has mostly been founded on slander- ous reports. Light hath need to come out of the East. May not the Eastern world be properly called masculine? The theory or germ of all arts, sciences, politics, governments and religions that have issued therefrom, never seem to fully develop until they reach the American (or more justly the Columbian) soil. She (Amer- ica) Will take all theories through the ordeal of righteousness, and if not approved, will by her be corrected, modiﬁed or expelled from the natal sphere; so that persecution, the engine of extreme intolerance, never can ﬁnd an abid- ing foothold on her soil “ while the world stands.” The fond dreamers of monarchy, aristocracy, slavery, and of vicarious atone- ment, fore—ordination, election and reprobation, without regardto works ; Christians living in sin, and believing in a physical resurrection, are already ,disturbed and uneasy in their slumbers by the sound of the gospel trumpet. Think, too, of the foolish theory of being born and regenerated without the co-operation of a Mother! It is apt to be the case when achild is ignorant of having a Mother, it cannot know much about its Father. All errors are shades or casts of ignorance, and ignorance abides in darkness—sin. Is not Shakerism the only doctrine on earth built on the Spirit, and draweth together and formeth a body ? If this is the case, will not all _others divide, subdivide and scatter to the four Winds, because of being built on the letter, not on the Spirit? If the institution of Be- lievers had been thus started it would have gone down long ago. But being neither the planning of man nor woman, it has withstood much prejudice, opposition, persecution, pri- vation, fatigue, hunger and thirst, heat and I cold, day and night, adversity andprosperity. The work is of God, and the eulogy to Him belongs. The “well done ” is due in glory to God. Man is but a worm of the dust. We believe that a new cycle and progressive step is rapidly approaching, and can welcome the dawn of a brighter day. J OHN BARNETT, Pleasant Hill, Ky. Answers to Correspondents. Q. Is God a Trinity—-Father, Son and Holy Ghost? A. To us, God is a duality, male and female --Heavenly Fat er, Wisdom, and Comforting Mother Love. Q. W'as not man made in God’s image ?, A. Certainly ; “male and female, God cre- ated them.” Q. Is notiman a trinity—body, soul andispirit ? A. Man, being created in the image of God, is male and female-—dual. Q. Is not man a trinity-understanding, will, affec- tions ? A. Man has ﬁve senses and many affections. Q. D_oes_not Paul say: “May your body, soul and spirit be blameless ?" A. We believe you have quoted correctly. Q. Does not scripture say : “ Dividing asunder soul and spirit? ” A. It does.‘ Q. What is the dilfcrence between soul and spirit ? A. To which We give an individual opinion, thus : The body is the soul’s covering, or house; the soul is to the spirit what the body is to the soul. All created things may have a soul, but the human soul alone contains a spirit. “ And God breathed into (the animal) man the breath of life, and he became a living soul.” This breath allies man .to.his Maker closer than aught else. The soul may Wander into the ways of the transgressor—-become dead through sin. Thus may the soul be corrupted ; but the spirit is incorruptible, inapproachable by sin, and this spirit will lead the deadened soul back, through sufferings, to its Maker--God. The spirit and soul are immortal. Q. Is not God the same yesterday, to-day and for- ever? ' A. We believe God to be eternal—without change. Some of us have had revealed that all that has been called God, has not repre- sented the inﬁnite Creator to perfection. Each cycle passed has had its God—‘the best known representative spirit. The Jews had theirs~— it permitted them to marry, ﬁght, hold private property, etc. The true Christians have their God represented by the Christ spirit to Jesus and others. This representative of God will not permit its subjects to marry, ﬁght, “ nor possess aught they can call their own.” Under the dispensation of Moses, God permitted and counselled retaliation; but under the more perfect type of the Inﬁnite, the rule is, “ Love even your enemies !” represents introduces us to a life that is eternal in the present tense———a virgin'life, eternal here, and no change needs occur that it may enter the abodes of the blessed. N 01: so with those who ﬁght, who are husbands or Wives, or who engage in sinfulness. To us, the Spirit Christ is a ﬁtting representative of the Inﬁnite. * Society Record. Mr. LEBANON.—The South Family have been im- proving the appearance of the village by clapboard- ing their laundry building —- previously plastered externally ; several new slate roofs are noticeable also. Second Family have razed the old landmark south of the dwelling-house—quite an improvement. They have slated the roof of the oﬂice-barn, surmounting the same with cupola and a glittering vane, which seems inviting the wind to blow from the right direc- tion. Second Order have repainted their dwelling, rising quite high to do it. They have also re-roofed several buildings. Cart shed has had new founda- tion. Cow barn has been considerably repaired. The Church Family have put on 150 squares of slate this season. We do not like the black paint on their beautiful, new fence. North: This family is re-rooﬁng brick shop, and making many other improvements. Canaan Families are looking beautifully; paint, with hard labor, have made a wonderful transformation! May God bless lower fami1y—Canaan ! The Society have made a donation of $1,200 to Groveland. WA'rERVLIE'r.——-Company of visitors started for Mt. L. on the 8th. South Family have repainted several buildings. and improved dooryard considerably. Res. Ed. of THE SHAKER oﬂiciated at Mt L. Church, August 6th. This Society donated $800 to Groveland —a brotherly oifering. GROVELAND.—-The ground, blackened by the late» fire, is already improved by better buildings than those burned. Much regret is felt that the beautiful trees destroyed cannot be restored, only by years of patience’. “ So God works through the ages--when the old disappears, something better takes its place. ‘Be ye followers of God, dear children.’ ” W. H. B. No one wishes Groveland a streak of good luck, more than THE SHAKER. ENFIELD, CONN.-—-Chllrch Family have built a new barn, 50 x 60, and are improving their grass consider- ably. “ Our Second Family are building a large Sis- ters’ shop and Wash-house, the progress of which, if noted monthly, would be rather quaint and simple. Good health here.” The God which Christ’ SIHRLEY.-—I’lenty of rain, of health and of black- berries-—the latter twelve miles distant. Early Rose potatoes, an abundant yield—thirteen hills make at bushel! If there is a saint on the earth, the Boston Cultivator makes John Whiteley appear as one! WATEnvLn~:'r, O.-—Harvest closed, commonly good yield; fmits, excepting berries, very scarce. General health. PLEASANT HiLL.aEight Swedes landed here on July 30th. A protracted drouth still prevails; late crops and pastures will be very short. Br. Rufus Bryant is able to walk with staff. Thank him, kindly, fol‘ getting better. He intended starting for South Union on the 8th August. Hortency G. Hooser, one of the earliest settlers of this place, has sent us a communication for October She lately observed, that “she had been trying a long while to make nothing of he‘1"sel1',but could not accomplish it, and would have to abandon it.” SOUTH UNION.—Thc boiler for‘ engine; used for pumping water, exploded, injuring engineer Davis considerably. Paint has been doing Wonders here. Should be glad to get data from each Society by first of each month; unless received by this time, we cannot insert. * Elder F. W. Evans has been successfully prosecut- ing a course of lectures in London. We have re- ceived The Globe containing a good report of one. THE GOLDEN AGE, the most excellent of N. Y. jonr- ‘ nals,contained a characteristic letter from him in Aug. 2. We received a letter for THE SHAKER from his pen, but too late for publication. He returns on the 24th of August. « * THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITION OF RELIGION, ACCORDING TO SHAKER THEOLOGY. FIFTY CENTS, PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. G. A. LOMAS, Resident Editor, Shakers, Albany Co., N. Y. MEMBERS OF SOCIETY ﬂppointed to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. Elder F. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, . Y. “ Calvin G. Reed, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. ‘ “ Simon Mabeo. West Pittsﬂeld, Mass. “ Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Conn., Shakers. “ Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. “ Wm. Leonard, Ayer, Mass., Shakers. “ John Whiteley, Shirley Village. Middlesex Co., Mass. ‘ “ Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. ' “ Henry Cummings, Enﬂeld, Grafton Co., N. H. “ John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. “ Alonzo Gilman, West Gloucester, Cumberland Co., l\Ie., Shakers. “ Chas. Clapp, Union Village, Warren Co., 0., Shakers. “ Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers,‘ “ Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers. Olno. “ Jacob Kulp, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. “ J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. “ J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. PUBLICATIONS. Christ’s First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church - - - - - - 1 00 Compendium of Shakerisrn - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests ~ - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0109
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 10 (October 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-10-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: ‘this serving God? “IWILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND run DESIRE on ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL rnrs HOUSE wIrII GLORY, sAI'r1'I Tun Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. Von. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY C()., N. Y., OCTOBER, 1871. No. 10-. . Home Again. _When drawing nigh unto the wharf, on the steam-tug that landed us from the Atlantic, it was a happy sound when some of the oﬁcers said: “ Your people are waiting for you.” And it was a joyful meeting with a company of Elder brethren and Elder sisters from different families, among whom was the ever-welcome pres- ence of “the Managing Editor,” G. A. Lomas. How good to meet witlrloved ones after long and distant absence! Having sailed on the 1st of July in the Atlantic, under Captain Murray, we landed from her, now under the command of Captain Perry, on the 4th of Sep- tember. VVe have received from my dear friend and fellow-traveler, J. M. Peebles, the representative of the Spiri...
Show more‘this serving God? “IWILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND run DESIRE on ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL rnrs HOUSE wIrII GLORY, sAI'r1'I Tun Loan.” Published Monthly, by, and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. Von. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY C()., N. Y., OCTOBER, 1871. No. 10-. . Home Again. _When drawing nigh unto the wharf, on the steam-tug that landed us from the Atlantic, it was a happy sound when some of the oﬁcers said: “ Your people are waiting for you.” And it was a joyful meeting with a company of Elder brethren and Elder sisters from different families, among whom was the ever-welcome pres- ence of “the Managing Editor,” G. A. Lomas. How good to meet witlrloved ones after long and distant absence! Having sailed on the 1st of July in the Atlantic, under Captain Murray, we landed from her, now under the command of Captain Perry, on the 4th of Sep- tember. VVe have received from my dear friend and fellow-traveler, J. M. Peebles, the representative of the Spiritualists of America, the following communication for the little SHAKER, which will speak for itself. F. W. EVANS. WHITE STAR LINE, STEAMER ATLANTIC, } September 3, 1871. Editor of Tim SHAKER: It is Sunday at sea. The mimic bell has summoned the passengers to the saloon for divine worship. Bibles, prayer-books, hymn- books, are strewn around loosely upon the table. A pulpit is improvised—all is ready. The English clergyman, richly vestured, ap- pears, to read the service. The measured mechanical music now reaches our ears. Is Does God require any such cold, formal service? Would not feed- ing the hungry, clothing the naked, and edu- cating the masses in the principles of justice, equality and charity, be inﬁnitely more accept- able in the sight of God and angels? Elder F. VV. Evans, ourself and a few others retired ——retired as a protest against making the Eng- lish church service a. sort of religious steam- boat “ church and state ” institution on board the White Star line of steamers. N o AIneri- can, touched with the ﬁres of freedom, or thoroughly alive to the genius of this pro- gressive age, can for a moment encourage any thing that tends to a church and state estab- lishment—the entering wedge of which is the strenuous effort now being made by sectarists to put “God,” the trinitarian God, into the Constitution. This done, and the Declaration of Independence becomes a nullity, and religion degenerates into theology, bigotry and perse- cution unto death. This done, and farewell to freedom of speech and press—farewell to that freedom which now grants to all the organizations, orders and denominations of the land the privilege of worshipping God after the “dictates of their own conscience.” The virus of churchal sectarism is as poisonous to-day as inpthe sixteenth century. Let Americans be on their guard. ENGLISH LANDS. Travel in any direction from London by the interlacing railway conveyances, and you in- voluntarily pronounce England a garden. Industry has seemingly carried cultivation to perfection. There is a neatness, a thrift in the agricultural districts seldom seen in America, where lands are cheap, and where wide prairies are waiting to respond to plow and sewer. Though meadows, hedge-rows and waving harvest—ﬁelds charm the eye, the soul is burdened with the knowledge that only the few own the soil. Land monopoly is the rule in the British kingdom. Few seem to ponder upon the fact, that the right to life presupposes the further right of each indi- vidual to sufficient soil to sustain that life. The land-holders in her “Majesty’s realm” are rapidly decreasing. It is said, and with- out contradiction, so far as we know, that a hundred and ﬁfty persons own to-day one- half of the land in England; while twelve proprietors hold, and professedly “own,” nineteen and a-half millions of acres in Sect- land. Magniﬁcent mansions, elegant parks, and vast deer forests with odious game laws, abound for the comfort and amusement of English noblemen, while the starving poor beg for bread. London journals reported one hundred and ﬁfty thousand paupers in the city alone, last March. It is also estimated that there are a million more women than men in England. Poverty and dissatisfaction are on the increase. Elder Frederic bore a strong testimony, in all his public meetings that we attended, against the terrible condi- tion ‘of things in Bri'cain——the land of his birth. Is not America, England’s younger brother, imitating her in sundry wicked schemes of land monopoly? Capital is con- tinually concentrating, and, through cunni'ng and cupidity, banking institutions, railroad corporations and land monopolies are becom- ing fearful engines of power, making the rich richer, the poor poorer. When, oh! when, will selﬁsh, land-grabbing Americans feel the heaven-voiced principle of equality—feel the pentecostal ﬁre—feel the descending baptismal ﬂame—and verify the conviction by this apos- I I THE ENGLISH MISSION. A long time ago, we read the great speech of Elder F. W’. Evans, made at the Rutland Convention, in Vermont. Seine six years since, I met him in New York. Handing me several Shaker works to read’, he utterly astounded me with his perfect familiarity with spiritualists and spiritualism. He had been converted from cold materialism to a. knowledge of the future existence through his own personal mediumship. He further sur- prised me by relating wonderful manifesta- tions he had witnessed in their communities, and through our media who had ﬂed at differ- ent times to their societies for rest and mental‘ recuperation. This interview interested me in Shakerism, its testimonies in favor of pres- ent inspirations, communications, peace prin- ciples, temperance, etc., etc. Work with all true workers for reform, has been my motto for years. Denominational names are but “tinkling cymbals.” To this end, those joint conventions of Spiritualists and Shakers were held last winter in Cleveland, and Troy, N. Y., to the satisfaction and mutual proﬁt, we believe, of both parties. Elder Frederic’s first London meeting was held in Cleveland Hall. The audience was composed mostly of Spiritualists and Secularists. Mrs. Emma Hardinge was present, and expressed herself highly delighted with his radical. utterances against orthodox theologies and monarchical governments. He also publicly testiﬁed to the facts of Spiritualism. The great meeting was held in St. George’s Hall, Langham place. W. Hepworth Dixon, Esq., author of “New America,” “Spiritual Wives,” etc., occupied the chair. The large hall was densely packed before the hour for service. After the lecture commenced, a. continual stream reached the outer door, and then left, unable to gain admission. There were pres- sent, members of Parliament, distinguished journalists, prominent Darwinians, clergymen, Spiritualists, Secularists, social reformers. The music was excellent. And never have we seen greater attention paid to a speaker than to Elder Evans upon this occasion. The “Spirit of the Lord was upon him.” Occa- sionally there was a dissent ; as, for instance, when he advised the English to dispense with the “bishops and noblemen constituting the ‘ House of Lords,’ and put women in their places!” He further shocked them when declaring -that the rcpenting, warring “ God of Israel” was nothing but a tutelary divinity-— and that the seventy communities of Shakers tolic practice: “And they that believed had in America were so many communities be- all things in common ” ? . lieving in present revelations and spirit minis- j“ 74: THE SHAKER. trations. As a whole, the audience was charmed with the simplicity, sincerity and solid logic of the speaker. Mr.‘Dixon did himself great credit as the presiding oﬂficer. To James Burns, editor of Medium and Iluman Nature, and publisher of spiritualist literature in London, belongs the honor of getting up this and a series of meetings for the Elder in the provinces. At several of these gatherings he presided as chairman, making at each an appropriate opening ad- dress. Friend Burns is an inspired man, " with great versatility of talent, and Mrs. Burns is truly a “helpmeet.” They have two rosy—cheeked boys, perfect specimens of health, that never tasted of meat nor medicine in their lives. A Grnovn MEETING. It was our privilege to be present at the ﬁrst large open—air demonstration of Spiritu- alists in England. The meeting was held at Bowling Hill, near the city of Bradford. Those gifted in calculation, estimated that there were two thousand present. It was a grand spectacle. Mr. Burns, elected president by acclamation, made the preliminary speech, earnest,‘ eloquent and catholic. Elder Frede- ric, ouirself and others addressed the hunger- ing crowd. It was a grand success. At the second session, after the Elder had given a detailed account of his conversion from Robert Owen Materialism to Spiritualism, he elabor- ately elucidated the leading principles of Shakerism. The interest was intense, and the questions interesting. The Elder showed great wisdom in answering them. Take these as samples. “If Shakers do not marry, how do they increase their communities?” “ By gather- ing in from the world those who have ripened up for the sickle—ours is the harvest order.” ‘_‘ But did not God in the beginning of creation command men to multiply and replenish the earth?” “ I do not know, not having been there at the time; and then, other than the instincts of the earthly nature, a ‘special com- mand from God to insects, beasts and men to ‘ replenish the earth,’ would seem quite use- less. They certainly do such business now without any direct command from God.” “Well, if all should turn Shakers, would it not run the world out ?” “I apprehend no immediate danger of all men turning Shakers ——the cross is too great and the life is too self-denying. And, as for running the world out, the tendency, considering fceticide, abor- tions and illegitimate offspring, seems to ‘ run ’ in a different direction at present. But, if the world should be ‘ run out,’ the calamity would not be very serious, inasmuch, as upon the Darwinian basis, there are plenty of monkeys in Asia and Africa to get up a new race ; and this might be an improvement ! ” “ But you oppose marriage.” “Nay, friend, not mar- riage per se. The marriage relation is legiti- mate on the earthly plane, for reproduction, as Moses taught. But ours is the resurrec- tion order—a degree above——and bears the same relation to the world that the spirit bears to the body.” My work in England was mostly of a busi- ness character,_relative to the publication of Higgins’ “Anacalypsis,”new edition of “Jesus —-myth, man or God,” and the gathering of facts for the European department of the Year-Book of Spiritualism for 1872. Pnnsrrxruan COMMUNISH. Without pronouncing judgment at this time either for or against the ascetic orders of the ages, I confess myself astonished, after read- ing the histories of the East, at the silver threads of celibacy and communism that run ‘like crystal waters through all the nations of antiquity. J amblichus, writing of Pytha- goras’ visit to Italy, says: “ More than two thousand, in the first pub- lic discourse of Pythagoras, were arrested by his doctrine, who, together with their wives and children, forming an immense auditory, and having founded the community called ' Grcecia Jllagna, received from him laws and ordinances, which they regarded as maxims of divine authority, and which in no instance they transgressed, but which the whole assem- bly with one accord obeyed; being admired and proclaimed blessed by all around. They had their goods in common.” (De Vitae Pyth., c. 6, p. 22.) The learned Philo, writing of the wise men of Egypt, observes that i “ The object of these philosophers is mani- fest from the title which they assume. The men, and even the women, call themselves ,THsRArnU'rzE, that is, Healers, and this with propriety, as professing a medical art superior to that praicticed by men of the world. The latter profess to heal only the bodies, while the former cure the souls of men, when seized by disorders, when occupied by lusts or by an innumerable multitude of other vices. The persons who profess this art, embrace it not from education, nor from the persuasions of others, but because they are seized by the love of ' Heaven. Thinking themselves already dead to the world, they desire only a blessed im- mortal existence. They ﬁx their habitations on the outside of cities, in gardens and vi].- lages,.seeking retirement, not, I conceive, from religious hatred of mankind, but to avoid a pernicious intercourse with the world. This society now prevails throughout the habitable globe, the members thinking it" their duty to share with Greeks and barbarians the consum- mate blessings they enjoy. They have a sacred apartment in which they perform the myste- ries of a holy life. Into this place they bring neither meat nor drink, nor anything but the laws and divinely inspired oracles of the pro- phets. The idea of God is ever present to their thoughts. Many of them deliver mag- niﬁcent visions, suggested by their sacred philosophy in the home of repose. Their clothing is plain and simple. They eat no food more costly than coarse bread, regarding plenitude as prejudicial to both body and mind. They practice great humility; and, holding all things equal, each seeks another’s good.” The Jewish historian, Josephus, writes thus of the Esseneans: “They cherish mutual love beyond other men. They reject pleasure as evil; and look upon temperance and a conquest over the passions as the greatest virtue. There prevails among them a contempt of marriage ; but they receive the children of others, and educate them as their own. * * * They despise riches, and are much to be admired for their liberality; nor can any be found among them who is more wealthy than the rest. It is a law with them, that those who join their order should distribute their pos- sessions among the members. They wear white apparel; and neither buy nor sell among themselves. They avoid oaths—teach the immortality of the soul, and hold forth the rewards of virtue to be most glorious. * "‘ * The course of lité they pursue is exempt from change or the caprices of fashion, and they bear some resemblance to the com- munities said to subsist among the Dacians.” The Hindoos had their Rajahs, the Egyp- tians their Therapeutee, the Syrians their Esseneans, the Greeks their Pythagoreans, the Romans their Anchorites, and the Madm- val ages their Hermits. These often fled to deserts to escape persecutions. Finding soli- tude sweet, they remained. Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom, Gregory of Nazionzen, Jerome, Augustine, Evagrius, Cassians, and others of the first centuries, encouraged or practiced lives of retirement——}ives of self-restraint, celibacy, poverty, and the exercise of charity and good deeds towards all men. When the principles of self-sacriﬁce, benevo- lence and mutual love abound among individu- als, races and nations as reigning forces, then will dawn the Republic of Plato, the Arcadia of the poets, the Eden of the bards, and the happy-valleys of the seers seen in visions. These golden days are coming. The peace echoes of the Quakers, the reform principles of these seventy Shaker communities, the radical teachings of Elder Frederic, the daring enunciations of William Denton, the brave utterances of Lucretia Mott, the pathetic pleadings of Mary F. Davis, the eloquent orations of Emma Hardinge, and the stirring appeals of other great-hearted philanthropists and speakers, are harbingers of the millennial era. Each religious cycle yields its harvest sheaves. But before the victory, before the shouting of the “harvest -home,” comes another outpouring of the Revelator’s “vial of wrath.” Cruciﬁxions precede transﬁgura- tions as do thunders the storms that purify the air. A religious-political war-cloud is gathering in the distance. Only the ministry and mediation of spirits can arch this cloud with the rainbow of peace. Let Shakers, Quakers, Secularists, Spiritualists and Liber- alists all form a solid phalanx to meet the emergency, using “spiritual weapons” for the pulling down of strongholds and the up- building of the temple of truth. J. M. Pnnnnss. Life in God. ‘ Intelligence and Love are the primary attri- butes in the Godhead; all others are subor- dinate, and move in harmony with these. Without supreme intelligence, the universe of mind and matter could not exist. N 0 other attribute is adequate to the comprehension and execution of the stupendous whole! Remove intelligence, and what remains? Love is the feminine in God, the Mother of all their children in the universe. Wisdom is the appropriate use by the Supreme, in the design and creation of the universe of mind and matter. Power is only the inherent force of God in creation. Judgment is only the Omnis— cient exercise of the divine mind and will. Love is the attraction of mind and matter, and binds the stupendous whole~—the universe of God. Remove love from the human soul, and what remains to time and the children of earth? We should immediately fall asunder and become extinct. Between supreme intelligence and love there THE SHAKER. '75 has been an eternal union, co—existence, mu- tual recognition of excellence, -and immutable purpose in the grand design-=-Perfection abso- lute! Love is the magnet of creative intelligence, and draws «her children to herself, and the em- braces of each other, and contiguity in the pro- creative union; Without love, the sexes-are a nullity, and an unmeaning distinction '-of creation. We can only reason by the powers ‘of body and mind given us ; these powers acting on the objects of time, -and, by analogy, necessarily rising to a highersource, give us our ideas of ourselves, and of ‘a Supreme intelligence. We ﬁnd ourselves-in this lower sphere, male and female, a perfect adaptation of the appro- priate, productive power, and thevlove principle, or passion in-co-operation. . By analogy, We ask, are (there) Father and Mother in God? As we are only recipients of their gifts, could they impart attributes not contained in themselves ? The whole creation, as far as we comprehend it, is male and female, and the female as Mother, and centre of inﬂu- ence in the family ! Come, ‘ye savans of theearth, these are facts, and logical deductions‘; we ask you to fairly examine the same, "and publish to the world your conclusions. On this subject we have the testimony of the holy Saviour, in these Words: “Have ye not read, that He who made them at the beginning, made them male and female, and said, for this cause, shall a man leave father and mother, and shall’ cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one ﬂesh: wherefore they were no more TWAIN, but one-ﬂesh?’ “ What, therefore, "G'od 'hasoined together, ‘let no man put asunder.” Mark.’ In the procreative union they-are one; so pro- nounced by God, and so conﬁrmed by the Son. The teaching of the holy Saviour, not only acknowledges, but conﬁrms the Mosaic account of creation, as male and female, and also their likeness to the Godhead: ‘~ And God said, let; us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the ﬁsh of the sea, and ever the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, etc. So God createtlman in Ills own image, in the image of God created He -him; male and female created He them: and God blessed and said unto them, be friutful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.” This is the record of the Bible, asplain as the English language can make it, as expressed by God himself, that God is male and female ; and that Adam and Eve are one, the express image of them or him, as you please. Those who believe the sacred record, are as sacredly bound to receive His testimony.’ There can be no shadow of dcubtor-turning: it is yea, amen! Three males in the Godhead area monstrosity, and repugnant to every feeling in humanityl A barren conglomeration of unproductive ele- ments. The holy Saviour never told his dis- ciples that there were three male persons in His Father, and that He was one of them. But this Trinity is a most mortifying and degrading image, in the Christian (3) galaxy; borrowed, yea stolen from Oriental mythology. Go into the Hindoo temples, and you will there ﬁnd his catholic majesty, and the Hindoo wor- ship nearly verbatim to that of the holy See. The llindoos, Tartars and others say, the west -inherited or borrowed catholicism of their oriental-brethren; thecatholics deny the charge, and-say, the missionaries carried the sacred dogma to the heathen nations; but every ori- ental scholar knows that the gods belonged originally to the east, andrthat the west is the dupe of paganism. The missionary Huc, on his way to China, tarried over winter in the Tartar city of 1-Lassa. Here he made the acquaintance of a young Tartar prince, and spent most of his time in converting the young nobleman. In the spring before his departure, Hue thus addressed his young “friend; “ I am about to depart on my mission, and wish to -have a memorial of my labors. I think you are fully prepared to enter upon the solemn rites of our sacred religion; I propose baptism.” Said the prince, “Stop, my worthy friend, you are quite too fast; I have listened to you attentively all winter, and perceive, to my astonishment, that our theolo- gies are identical.” “ 0, well, well,” said Hue, “ our missionaries have been here, and taught you these sublime truths.” “ Quite too fast again, ” said the prince; “ Whatever of religion, V law, physio and the sciences you have in the west, all are oriental, and the yeast are your teachers.” So Huc departed on his mission, “ a wiser if not a -better «ma.n.” WM. Rnnnon, U. Village. In character, in manners, in style, in all things the supreme excellence is simplicity. Nothing new, nothing great, nothing curious, noth- ing marvelous, nor even miraculous in creatures, tends in the least to effect the work of regeneration. This is Wrought by daily self‘-denial, mortiﬁcation and suferinig ; by quietly and patiently doing and snlfering the will of God in preference to our own. Nothing can long delight him who dclighteth not, above all things, in God. True repentance is turning from evil to good; from self to God. Tears, without turning, will never. be owned for repentance. Grant, 0 Heavenly Father, that I may fear nothing but sin; hate none but self; love nothing but thee and thine. ' Count not that time lost which is spent in medita- tion and prayer. PELHAH. Innocence. True innocence is like a. bright, lovely jewel; this jewel is easily tarnished. How important then, that We keep it bright by alife, pure and unspotted. We should shun the very appear- ance of evil, even in thought and feeling. To my mind, true innocence consists in liv- ing a. life so pure, that nothing will enter the mind, but What is perfectly reﬁned from all grossness and everything that would lead there- to, so that if our thoughts were written, there would be no occasion for shame. The inno- cent mind has needs of keeping no guard, nor taking thought, for fear of overstepping the bounds of modesty; for as the heart is, so will be our words and acts. Innocence will join us to the angels, and fit us to dwell with them. ’ J ULIA E. Pxnnson, Shirley. Thoughts by a Shaker Sister. David said, “ I am fearfu-lly and wonderfully made.” This is true of -eviery man and Woman. Our life, in all respects, is a wonder. We live and move and have an existence. VVe breathe- some unseen power keeps the machinery in motion—the heart beats; the tongue moves to sound forth the thoughts of the brain and feel- ings of the soul, and the ears of others ‘catch these sounds; thus mind meets" mind and we impress our tl1oughts'upon others. - The eyes, the sole medium through which light is trans- mitted to the body, are Wonderful in their construction. All the members of -the human body (-if healtliy) move in conformity to the will-force, or in unison with the controlling governing wheel of the machine; the intelli- gence ccming through the brain. We eat, We drink, we wake, we sleep. Who can tell how all the vital forces operate ? and how the subtile agencies are brought to bear upon the human organism, so as to retain the equilibrium, and preserve the harmonious action of all the parts ? We speak of life and death. Life represents action. "‘ Life is heat; Death is cold,” means decay——dissolution. Does the philosopher, the theologian, or the greatest seer of the ages, understand the modus operandi by which this “harp of a thousand strings ” is constructed and attuned? , ' We see an ordinary machine, produced by man’s ingenuity or intelligence, and perhaps comprehend how, by wind, steam, or Water, as a propelling force, the Wheels are set in motion; but the thoughts--the reasoning pow- ers—-of human beings, the emotional feelings- feelings of joy and sorrow, of love and hate - who understands their origin, so that they could take us by the hand, and lead us along the path which conducts to the fountain, and reveal the mystery? ‘ “ Help, Lord, for the godly man ”——the preserver of the earth-“ ceaseth ; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” Whether the above quotation is applicable to our own time, keen observers of men and things, of cause and effect, must decide. One thing is certain; that is, “ Truth,” as applied to practical life, does not, at thepresent time, “ride (very) prosperously through the land.” “ All have sinned,” have violated the physical and spiritual laws of their being, more or less; -and few indeed do good-—do right-— according to their highest conception of right. Is there a remedy? If so, where is it to be found-? . V A cruciﬁed Jesus has been preached ; run- ners have gone up and down through the land crying, “Lo here! and lo there!” Spiritual teachers and modern prophets have arisen; periodicals and daily journals have become very numerous ; and others are springing into life; and-now, by the aid of the iron horse, which wends -its Way «among the hills and valleys with almost lightning speed, from the Atlantic to the Paciﬁc, they are conveyed from city to city, to every -harnletg and nearly every cottage throughout the -civilized land over which the cultivator «has passed. Knowledge is thereby increased; but “the wicked continue to do wickedly; ” and true understanding, touching the Christian life, is, to 9. great extent, hidden from mortal sight. 76 THE SHAKER. Christendom is full of names——sects. Many churches, with their towering spires pointing somewhere, ‘attract attention from those who are thirsting for the spiritual waters of life, “ as the hart panteth for the water brooks,” and they ask the learned divines, “ Is righteous- ness, which maketh men and women right- eous, practically righteous, found within these courts ?” Their answer is, " No ; we rely on the merits of a cruciﬁed Jesus ! By his stripes we are healed ! By his righteousness we shall, in the future, be saved it” The people known as “ Shakers,” have not sought to be numbered with popular Christians -—the sects called orthodox. They have dwelt alone, and have preferred to let ‘works, rather than worldly profession and gorgeous display of Church paraphernalia, bespeak their faith. As birds, they have ﬂed to the mountains-— the highest revealed spiritual truth—and sought cover “ under the wings of the anointed cherub.” There they patiently Wait, drinking in inspiration from the celestial spheres, and watch for the bright morning star to arise, the - precursor of anew day, when an angel mes- senger to the present generation will come forth, who will speak unto the Churches and breathe the breath of life into them, and cause them again to “rise and stand upon their feet”—-rebaptize them with the same spirit which ﬁrst called them into being. They have,‘ for along time, lain as “dead bodies in the streets spiritually called Sodom and Egypt”-— sensual pleasure, and the darkness arising therefrom——“ where our Lord was cruciﬁed.” The carnal life is opposed to the spiritual, and always kills the life of God in the soul. When the ﬁrst angel messenger has per- formed a work, then another angel will fellow, who will testify of the dual God, and the dual Christ-a living, risen Saviour, who will walk with those who are willing to enrobe themselves in linen white and clean—m'rgin purity. Then the voice will be heard, saying: “Come up hither ”--to the higher life. ~Modern Spiritualism is an angel of light, and has wrought a great change in society. Not a quarter of a century has passed since a believer in spirit communings was called het- erodox. Revelation was a thing of the past, except in natural science. Not one spirit friend was welcome to bear a torch—light of truth to this sin-darkened world. Spirit inﬂuences have now become so strong and subtile, that they have found their way into almost every household, and pierced nearly every circle. It is doing its work—- shaking old-established creeds and dogmas, “ confounding the wisdom ” of the hierarchy, and is “ bringing to naught the understanding of the prudent.” In this way, God will pull down what man has builded that is false. Truth alone will stand! All the. dashing, surging waves of error and superstition that may beat against it cannot move it! Truth will live! and all who build upon it will live! such will behold a risen Saviour, and feel his power. Truth has no bounds ; as it is co-eternal with Deity, so it ﬁlls immensity ! Error must fall before it. May God, through the medium of his own choosing, speed the work! A. DOOLITTLE. Inspiration. A very‘ interesting study, to the observer of Nature, is the combination of its various ele- ments, whether spontaneous or artiﬁcial. The solid earth itself, with its ocean and its atmos- phere, is the result of this union of elements. One combination produces the delicate plant with its exquisitely beautiful ﬂowers, and an- other the stately tree—the glory of the vege- table realms. One, the sparkling gem ; another, that which gives us the material for our most durable and magniﬁcent ediﬁces. One fur- nishes that which is agreeable to the sense and productive of health and vigor; another, that which is every way disagreeable and even des- tructive of life. Separate these into their con- stituent parts, and the beauty, the fragrance, the solidity, and even their foul and destructive characteristics disappear. The grand truths to be deduced from these facts are, that the various results which are effected in the material world are all owing to the different combinations of its elements; that these combinations and their results are all un- der the control of the Divine Mind ; are partly Within the power of created beings at the pre- sent time; and, in the future, so far as they affect man’s condition, will be wholly under his control. For, it is not to be supposed that our chemists have arrived at all the ultimates of things in their various analyses of Nature, though they have resolved substances into more than sixty of, what they call, primates or ele- ments. And even Huxley, with his newly dis- covered protoplasm, is likely to be surpassed by future analysts. Reasoning from what has already been discovered by man in the realms of Nature, it is not contrary to the deductions of sound logic to believe that hereafter he will so far penetrate into what are now its secrets, as to be able to give unerring rules for the maintenance of physical health, and, as a necessary consequence, such as shall have an important bearing upon the moral status. Much has already been done towards “ a con- A summation sp devoutly to be wished; ” but the manifest uncertainties in our various schools of medicine declare how very far we are yet from that most desirable state of things. And the numerous schools for moral health show that there is, at least, among the masses as much uncertainty respecting the true mode of the soul’s salvation as of that of the body. And yet, we have all learned something. We have learned that there are certain inﬂuences to be shunned if We would maintain physical health, and others to be earnestly sought after. There are those, also, that affect the moral Well-being," equally to be avoided, and others, again, to be ardently desired. “Evil communications corrupt good man- ners,” because, like the atmosphere charged with elements that enter not into its constituent parts, they insinuate themselves into the moral system and deposit there what does not belong to the soul. We may shun all these. We live in a physical atmosphere liable to be corrupted by various inﬂuences, but we may build our residences above them,so as to be beyond their reach. VVe are in a world, also, whose moral atmosphere is tainted by various hurtful things, but we may choose that portion of it which is far away from their contaminating inﬂuences. The prophetic language of past ages corrobo- rates this. “ It shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established in the top of the moun- tains,” far above the moral miasmas of the marshes below, where the pure breath of hea- ven completely ﬁlls ﬁeld and forest, avenue and dwelling. The angel that talked with the prophet Zechariah made this declaration: “ Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns with- out walls,” or, literally translated, ascountry villages; evidently a literal and truthful prophecy of the actual dwelling places of “ Jerusalem which is above; ” above the old one with its narrow, ﬁlthy, disease-producing streets, and its lofty, war-enticing walls, and above everything that is low in its moral and spiritual condition. “I,” says Jehovah, “ will be a wall of ﬁre round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.” He is her protec- tion both from external foes andinternal vices, better than walls of stone and gates of brass. The Divine Breath goes through her ﬁelds, her streets and her dwellings. in her groves, moves in her waving grain, and manifests itself in the beauty and fragrance of every ﬂower that greets the eye. Entering into the innermost spirit of every one _enrolled as a citizen of this Jerusalem, and working outwardly, -it brings everything within him into the completest harmony with the whole. “Every divinely inspired scripture is pro- ﬁtable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect.” He in whom God breathes the divine life, may impart that life to others, and even his writings, though subject to numerous copyings and translations, will have an inﬂuence for good on all after genera- tions, so that the apostle has justly styled such, “ God-breathed scripture.” This inspiring inﬂuence is not conﬁned to the books of the Bible, whether Catholic or Protestant, but is discovered, also, in the writings of many others, by those whom the Divine Spirit illuminates. This life-giving breath was that which in- spired John Wesley on that memorable occa- sion when, listening to the reading of Luther’s scripture comments, he felt a strange glow in his heart. It was this which gave him “ thoughts that breathed and words that burned,” and made him so efﬁcient in turning others to righteousness. If, however, he had given more heed to the word that spoke within him than to those written by Luther, he would have effected a more thorough work than he did; though, it is true, Luther’s theology could not shut the divine teachings wholly from his soul. This, also, dwelt largely in George Fox, as a ﬁre within him, constraining him to cry aloudiand spare not the vices of his age. This pure breath of Heaven became the permanent life of Mother Ann when she had wrought out her redemption from the lower life; and, in the possession of this, she could say, “ If there is anything within me contrary to God, I do not know it.” of her devoted children as soon as they came into-her presence; was felt in her singing, in her words of encouragement, and in her re- proofs of sin. This must be the life-element of the Christian, It makes music ‘ This was recognized by many, * THE SHAKER. '77 which shall purge from his entire being What- ever does not belong to the life of Heaven ; must create within him new desires and dispositions that will, in the end, inﬁnitely surpass the best which he possessed previously. When this is effected within him, then is accomplished in him, in its highest sense, the divine ﬁat, “ Be- hold, I create all things new! ” WM. H. BUSSELL. Physical Improvement. It is not a question, but a settled fact, that physical culture and improvement should go hand in hand with spiritual progression. It is uphill work to be good Christians, unless we learn to live rightly, physically, and obey the laws of life and health. A sound mind in a healthy body is the best condition in which to live out the true principles of Christianity, and enable us to do the greatest amount of good, spiritually and physically. Let us set about the work more earnestly, to correct all the wrong habits of life. Let us learn to take care of our health, keep the di- gestive organs in good order, being careful not to overtax them. Our food should be health- ful, and healthfully prepared; we should eat our food slowly, with thankful hearts and cheerful spirits. There is much said and done to suppress the sin of intemperaiice in alcoholic drinks, while the great sin of gluttony is winked at; and who is Wise enough to tell which is the more deplorable, the more effec- tual in breaking down the constitution, be- numbing the senses, depressing the spirits, and unﬁtting people for active duty? The Shakers have made some efforts to reform and over- come the wrong habits of life; they have gained some victories, but have more yet to gain. Would it not be well for some to speak through THE SHAKER in regard to these matters? Let the testimony go forth, both to Shakers, and to others who have ideas that need to be shaken. Those living in the order of nature, in the marriage state, should so live as to produce healthy offspring ; such as will make good Shakers. The world stands in need of more Shakers, to act as a balancing power ; to keep in check the increasing tide of human depravity. It is for the world’s interest to have more good Shakers on the earth. Then, let all be awakened to feel the need of coming up higher ; of living holier and practic- ing more self-denial; and let all who feel that they are able to bear the Shaker cross and live the life, be Shakers. WM. H. Wnrnnnnnn, Shirley, Mass. The End of the World. This subject is being agitated at the present time with increased animation. “ The l?Vorld’s Crisis ” is positive of this event occurring Within ﬁve years ;, when the earth will collapse, and Jesus make an appearance to save Second Adventists from the otherwise general destruc tion. We have before us a pamphlet,’*‘ written with much sincerity, and compiled with much mathematical ingenuity, declarative of the de- struction of the physical World in the year 1873. We are believers in the ending of the * “The Midnight Cry !" by Barbour. world, and of the appearance of Christ’s Spirit; and make no objection to the times that have been set; but of choice would name 1871. We have a hopeful faith that the world will end in 1875 ; also in 1873 ; and nearer still, the pres- ent year of 1871 ! The world to which we refer is the World of sin; others allude to the physical earth. The result of our opinions, would be perfected Christian characters, by being those “upon whom the ends of the world have come,” as really to—day as two or four years hence. The result of Miles Grant’s opinions would be the reﬁirrection of dead bodies ; weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth on the part of the mul- titude, while a few would rise to ineffable glory in perfected physical trim. If the world is to end, we say let it end to our largest Christian proﬁt; at the expense of our pride; our lusts; to the destruction of all that makes us unlike our pattern—Jesus, who became the Christ. Our earth is too pretty to be de- stroyed; but our evil dispositions, made up of the world, are only worthy of annihilation, and the quicker they merit their just dues, the better for the individual and the race. Our beautiful earth will continue to revolve, we believe, a few centuries longer; but the work of purging from our souls “ the beggarly elements of the world” should commence at once; let these come to an immediate ending. The elements composing the world which should end, are “ the lusts of the ﬂesh, of the eyes, and the pride of life; ” and “be of good cheer,” said Jesus, “for I have brought these elements to an end.” Putting an end to the world, after the manner of Jesus, causes the dead to rise—the dead in sinful works; for they cease their sinfulness and are resurrected to the life of the righteous. The Adventists are looking in the clouds qf earth for the com- ing man; while they should seek among the clouds of heavenly witnesses, the truth, that the second appearance of Christ will be through the feminine order ! But why dwell upon the second appearance of Christ, while so few are assured that Christ has made a ﬁrst advent? T-he ﬁrst appearance of Christ to any indi- vidual will have the effect of saving him from his sins; not from the penalty of past sins, but from the necessity of transgression in the present and future. How many experience this salvation? to just so many has Christ ap- peared, no more. And none can realize. the second advent of this blessed Spirit, until they have experienced the baptism of the ﬁrst ap- pearance, which will put an end to the world of sin, ere the second advent can take place. All will yet experience the end of the world. All will be visited by the Spirit of Christ. But these occurrences will not happen simul- taneously to all. Some have already put an end to the world in themselves, and are ex- periencing the blessing of Christ’s Second Appearance ! Others are ripening up to be harvested from the world, by the harvestman ——Christ; then will they willingly forsake a worldly life; all that composes the practice of “ the children of this world ” will be brought to a speedy close. Here is the hope of the people called Shakers— having ripened up to the neces- sity of living angelic lives, they are those “ upon whom the ends of the world have come ;” and they look for the continuance of their organiza- tion, to those Whom the Spirit of Christ will similarly affect. But the people generally, at present, seem too devoted to the pleasures of a worldly life, and are quite unwilling that these should end. Elder Grant, while looking for a general smash-up in 1875, is quite unwilling to become “ a eunuch for the kingdom of heaven’s sake ” before that time; and we will have patience with him, and all other Adventists, if, upon the non-appearance of Jesus; the con- tinuation of the earth in its course ; the will- ful adhesion of dead bodies to their graves, and the absence of a. general conﬂagration, they will come to the common-sense conclusion, that what they are earnestly looking for with their natural eyes, will occur only in a spirit- ual manner and be spiritually discerned. Many arrived at this conclusion after the failure of 1843 ; and are among the staunchest supporters of the principles of the Shaker, Church to—day. They have since seen the earth, and earthly pleasures pass away with 3 great noise ; they have heard Gabriel’s trumpet sounding the “ come up higher ” invitation; they were dead in trespasses, and were raised up to the mount of salvation ; and when they realized their mistake they sung, as all sincere‘ Adventists are destined to sing: “ Adieu, adieu, vain world, farewell I I find no rent in thee ! Thy greatest pleasures form a hell Too dark and sad for me‘! Alas, alas! I have too long Preferred thy sinful crowd ; I’ve listened to thy siren song ’Ti11nie1"cy called aloud 2' “ Adieu, vain world, I say once more‘; I’m bound for Canaan’s land ; I see a happy world before, _ Prepared at God’s right hand! On life’: tempestuoils sea. I sail, Where countless billows roll; Yet Christ, my pilot, will not rail,-- VVith him, I trust my soul. “He can command the roaring tide, ‘ And silence all my foes; With courage, safely I can ride Through every wind that blows; And as 1 daily homcward. steer, Toward the sweet land of peace, This world does less and less appear, Ami all its charms decrease] “While shining millions, sailed before,- Who’ve gained the port above, Found nothing in old Babel’: store, That they could prize or love ;' That everlasting glory bright, Will tarnish all below; Just as the sun’s meridian height Forbids the stars to glow !" #3 Bestrong, be steadfast in fair virtuels cause, Nor fear reproof, nor covet vain applause; Heed not of evil tongues the envious strife, Nor the loud storms that rage in human life. On trutl1‘s ﬁrm basis let your hopes remain, And seas may rage and tempests roar in vain. ”I‘is easiest dealing with the ﬁrmest mind; More just when it resists, and where it yields, more Blest are the lips that open but to bless! [kind. That never yet the gentle heart belied! Still prompt to smile, to praise. or to caress, And over slow to censure or to chide; Blest shall they be on earth by all who hear, Nor their vocation change in heaven above; For what do angel lips in that bright sphere, But sing of praise, of mercy, and of love. How terrible is passion l how our reason Falls down before it; whilst the tortured frame, Like a ship dashed by ﬁerce encouuter’s tide, And of her pilot spoiled. drives round and round, The sport of wind and wave. CONN. mm '78 ‘THE SHAKER. Let Truth roll on. Roll on, thou mighty tide of Truth, and deluge all the land ; Sweep error from s suﬂering world, where now it holds command. Roll on, roll on, nor cease to ﬂow, ’till each vile weed shall dio,- ‘ .The worthless tare: and bitter fruit sown by the enemy. Too long already hath this tide set back upon its source; Butvyet ’twas gaining added strength and a resistless force; And as the rains from heaven descend, this swelling torrent deep Shall (lash the foam impetuously, and every barrier leap. ' Then raise the ﬂood-gates, free its course, and let it onward go ; The thirsty earth will drink it in, and better fruit will grow. Why should we waste our precious stores, in this the time of dearth, . _ When lo ! grim want and famine gaunt, are stalking o’er the earth. Why not set free this blessed stream, to irrigate the ‘land; Why not “ go into all the world," obeying Christ’s com- mand ? These solemn thoughts and feelings deep, are surging in my soul, I can no longer silence ﬁkeep, Truth must and will control. To wakeful watchers, it is true, the night seems very long ; Some fear in darkness should we work, it. might be all done wrong; But morning now is dawning bright upon -the travel- or’s way, And glorious rays of gleaming light declare the coming day. "ris time for gospel light to spread abroad o’er land and sea; And man must learn that nothing else but truth can make him free. 0, let it have an outlet wide-—-let gospel graces shine, ‘Till all can see and own, that love and virtue are divine. E. H. Pnrasons, Harvard. - Retrospection. A century has passed since Mother Ann’s gospel was revealed to mortals ; and, though we may think the progress slow, that but little has been achieved, yet let ‘us consider how great, how laborious, was the work of the ﬁrst pioneers. I have watched the rise and pro- gress of Pleasant Hill from my childhood up, for sixty-two years. I saw the brethren, with their own industrious hands, fell the sturdy oaks and maples, right here, where our large and commodious dwellings now stand and have stood for many long years. I saw very soon, young as I was, that providing for the outer man was not their greatest aim. but they sought first the kingdom of heaven, and then, by giving their hearts to God and putting their hands to work, they wrought Wonders in this land. ' How very easy now for the Wayfaring man, the widow and the orphans to ﬁnd a home of sweet rest, Where everything is ready, provided by the hands of kind and tender friends. I verily believe, that in the course of another century, the beautiful villages, that are being reared by the hands of the pure and righteous servants of God, will become “As diadems on the brow of the Universe.” HORTENCY G. Hoosnn, Pleasant Hill. Time, its Records. Thou precious boon to mortals given, A little space in which to learn; Probation is thy name in Heaven, Thou'rt fruitful with immortal germs. Viihither dost thou flee forever? Say what freight thy moments beat‘! From my soul what strong endeavor? What the deeds thou dost declare ? None can stay thy rolling ages, None recall thy moments past, Deep engraveu are thy pages, Fadeless are thy photographs: Life, the silent, tireless artist, On thy ﬂying canvas lays Every changing scene, regardless That the form so soon decays. O, thou viewless portrait taker, Thy unerring pencil, draw: The mlnutest act or feature, And records its secret cause ; Slaves and nobles, fools and sages, There behold their likeness cast; Time will soon unfurl its pages, Nothing perished but the mask. Spoken to the ear in closets, Or in deeds revealed to sight; Even though you've only mused them, There are blazing, wrong or right! Faithfully they stand recorded, Pleading at the angel court; And though never, never worded, Each shall make its true report. The revelations of physiology, phrenology and psychometry go to prove that every per- son carries his history with him, and that his- tory is manifest in his actions, and stamps his features with unerring precision. “ A man is, what he does.” Every act of mind or body, open or secret, helps make each individual life, that is displayed in character. Each act re- cords itself with a faint or deep impression, according to the nature and intensity of the impulse that prompts it. Behold the astronomer, gauging space, and resolving the intricate mazes of planets, suns and systems-—those mighty chroniclers of un- numbered cycles. He seems already to have entered eternity, and, in his contemplation of past and future, to gaze upon the eternal. Somewhat nearer, see the geologist, closely scanning the rocks, and drawing from the depths of the earth her secret records, extend- ing back through countless ages, to primeval chaos. Nearer, still, we see history laid under contribution, and the exhumed monuments of buried races are made to testify to the past transactions and acquirements of the human family. Also the Bible, that venerated book and much abused record, is put upon trial, its doctrines canvassed and merits discussed, in this age of ages. Even that which has so long claimed the name and station of Christianity is brought to the bar and sharply interrogated; and we opine that, before the trial terminates, it will be found miserably wanting in all the essential elements of pure Christianity—for, see! it does not save its votaries from sin! Its most sanctified teachers and professors confess themselves sinners, and believe it im- possible to live without sin! What a sham Christianity is that which, instead of burning up iniquity, spreads a veil over it! All departments of human knowledge and research seem to be undergoing a sifting or shaking process, by the power of the quickened intellect of the race. If any believe these are not the external manifestations of the judg- ment day, will they believe that the spirit of progress is less active, less progressive in the spiritual than in the natural and intellectual elements of man’s creation? If the spirit of God operates among mankind like wheels within wheels, the centre being much smaller and slower in movement than the circumference, may not attract so much attention, though it be the source, both of motion and power to those more external. People see a. small body of Shakers, view their external organization and habits, and, perhaps, think them a strange curiosity—- being, however, only as one tree surrounded by a forest, or as one block in a quarry, they are deemed remarkable for singularity, but otherwise of little consequence. Few stop to inquire why it is so, or what will come of it. After learning that Shakers hold a community of interests, that they are very neat. very honest, and do not marry, they care not to go much further. But why is it? What induces free and intelligent people to associate together for the practice of principles so repugnant to the natural feelings and desires of the earthly man as are those of the Shakers’? Wealth cannot be the motive, where all are upon a level, and distribution is made to each according to needs and circumstances, without reference to indi- vidual tastes and peculiarities, and where the surplus goes for the beneﬁt of the needy, or unfortunate outside of the organization. The desire for a comfortable home cannot be the bond of union in so much voluntary restraint ; neither can it be ignorance of them- selves or of the world that keeps the Shakers together. What, then, is the secret bond of their union? Who devised a plan so contrary to man’s depraved nature? Who sustains it? And what is the purpose of its Author ? These are questions well worth the consideration of the seriously inclined. ALoNzo HoLL1srnn,_Mt. Lebanon. The Setting Sun. The setting sun resplendent shone, And bade the earth farewell; Soon night’s deep shades will intervene, And cast upon each lovely scene Its dark and silent spell. Yet w'eep not thou, but humbly bow- God Worketh not in vain; Although beneath the stormy wave, The brilliant orb sinks in the grave, ‘Twill rise, ’twill rise again, ‘Twill rise again, ‘twill rise again; Although beneath the stormy wave, The brilliant orb sinks in the grave, ’Twill rise, ‘twill rise again. What then, if here the silent tear Doth oft unbidden roll; VVhile every joy that ﬁlled the heart, In sorrow scemeth to depart, And darkness veils thy soul ; Yet fear not thou, but humbly bow—- Thy tears are not in vain; Although beneath the stormy wave, Thy sun ofgladness make its grave, ‘Twill rise, ’twill rise again, ’Twill rise again, ’twill rise again ; Although beneath the stormy wave, Thy sun of gladness make its grave, ‘Twill rise, ’twill rise again. JOHN ROBE, Mt. Lebanon. . the letter. ‘ ally, there is only “the Channel” between THE SHAKER. '79 The American Shaker in London. To the Editor of the Golden Age: Your kind favor of the 27th of July is at hand. I have not received (but expect to in a day or two) THE GOLDEN Aes. Indeed, many “ lovers of this kind,” have waited for that in the shadowy past, and “ obtained not the sight.” But thanks to time and the laws of progress, which, like those of gravitation, never relax their efforts, now is the desired consummation nearer than ever before. I am in London, England. I see, I hear, I observe, and “ I keep up a terrible thinking.” Ninety- six years ago, a poor woman externally, but rich in the notice of the Heavens, was driven from these shores by the “ Church and State” “ beast” to the wilderness of America, then in the Revolutionary struggle, which by the “ visions of God,” she declared Would- result in the establishment of a government that would let each person frame their own theology. And thanks to the yet—to-be—honored name of Thomas Paine, more than any other, that “ Golden Age ” idea was realized. And to-day I am in London, as the repre- sentative successor of this same woman; and back of me are some seventy communities of people, who believe that she experienced the return to our earth of “the Christ,” which ﬁrst the Heathen Roman Church and State, and then the Christian Roman Church and State, cruciﬁed; and the latter a good deal more effectually than the former ; for the “saint” who sins, serves\the devil more ac- ceptably than any “ sinner ” can possibly do. So far as my mission has been known, England has said “Blessed is he that _'c'ometh in the name of the Lord! ” I have been most hos- pitably received and attentively listened unto. I began by announcing a meeting in Cleveland Hall, where the Spiritualists had held frequent meetings. The attendance was small, but increased at each succeeding call, until I decided to give all who wished to hear and see a Shaker, an opportunity to do so, by engaging St. George’s Hall, and inviting Hepworth Dixon to occupy the chair. But I sadly miscalculated the slow, unexcitable, and unfanatical English mind, as not more than a third of the people who came could get into the hall. Those who did ﬁll it, were of the “ better classes,” to use an Englishism. As tickets had been sent to some two hundred M.Ps. and sixty editors, we had a corps of reporters. And among them all, the Times did itself the honor to make the fairest report ; and much to my surprise, the Thunderer has taken the lead in welcoming “ the Shaker,” saying that “it was an opportunity not to be lost, to hear an authentic exposition of Shakerism.” The result is that I am literally overwhelmed with visitors, invitations to lecture, and appli- cations to go home with me to “Zion.” My impressions, while in my quiet mountain home, of the state of England, is realized to Politically, as Well as geographic- England and France. The plethora of popula- tion is felt by everybody. “There aretoo many of us,” is the common expression. Yesterday I received an invitation to deliver an address before the Co-operative Emigration Society ; I have spoken before “ The Temper- ance League ;” the Woman Suffrage people are especially favorable to an Order, founded by a woman, claiming that God, being dual, the Government of the Universe itself is equally masculine and feminine ; and that it ought to be the type and pattern of all human govern- ments, from that of the household of nature to “ the household of faith,” with its “ father and mother and brethren and sisters,” having their “ houses and lands ” “ in common.” The Peace advocates ﬁnd coadjutors in Shakers; and in proposing (as you will see by the report of my St. George’s Hall speech, which I send you, I have done), that the English people put their governmental machinery into the hands of the Quakers, who “marry and are given in marriage ” (as we have turned our Indian government over to them), I have put the “dead body” of the Quakers on their feet ’ again, and would give them something to keep them alive. And inasmuch as this government, in the society, is dual, and they are practically ac- quainted with the rights and capabilities of woman, who thus, “ by reason of use,” have their managing abilities developed, let the Quaker men take possession of the House of Commons and the Quaker women. have the House of Lords. This will begin the millen- nium. The reign of “ peace on earth ” would commence by disbauding the army and navy, and breaking up the whole military ’_system. The people would soon be the owners of the soil; poverty be banished; “the social evil” be no more an eye-sore, and a cancer on the vitals of the nation. The national debt would be paid and cancelled; and one nation would actualize the visions of the seers; and the words of promise spoken by “ all the prophets since the world began,” would be no longer vain visions, or hope deferred, which has made the heart of humanity sick; but hope would have its fruition in a just, peaceful, and happy people; and the co-existence of the resurrection, or Shaker Order of celibacy, would hold in check, and balance the principle of population. . - F. W. EVANS. LONDON, August 11th, 1871. Draw Nigh. There was a law among the ancient Persians, that whomsoever should present themselves before the king, unless they were called to his presence, should be put to death, except such to whom the king should extend the golden sceptre. (See Esther, 1v:11.) But in this our day We have no such prohibition. The sceptre to us is always extended. And it is a sceptre of mercy. The still small voice says come. It is a general and universal invitation, from our glorious King, to draw nigh at all times, and in all circumstances, by prayer and devout supplication, to make known our de- sires to Him. And we may freely address Him, not only as the Eternal, the Almighty, Creator of all things, but as our heavenly Father and Mother. It is not in the spirit of bondage, or of fear, that We may approach Him; but in the spirit of love. We may cry to Him, not as a crimi- nal to a judge, nor as a slave to a master, but as a child to a Father, whom he tenderly loves, and who feels for him a pure and holy affec- tion. The Apostle John says : “ I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.” Who is a child so likely to know as his Father? What is the ﬁrst word he utters but “My Father,” or “ My Mother?” To whom is he so likely to ﬂee in the hour of dan- ger? On whom will he call so freely in dis- tress? He relies on him for care and protec- tion. He expects that he will defend him and provide for him. Then, will not God, who stands in this endearing relation, in a much higher and holier degree, exemplify it and ful- ﬁll it more perfectly and divinely? He cer- tainly will. . Then let this give us boldness and courage, at all times, to ask, and the prom- ise is that we shall receive. Draw nigh. CoNN. DANIEL Oncurr. What hidden works of darkness lie shrouded beneath the mask of base deception—of speeches fair, and colors false ! Oh! the depth of human depravity. It is honorable to be great; it is excellent to be small. I“ Suffer little children, and for- bid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” ‘ Plough deep the fallow ground of the heart, sow and cultivate the seeds of purity, love and truth, and you will reap a rich harvest of true felicity. What is hell ?—A condemned conscience. Where, and what is Heaven?--Heaven is within you; it is a condition or state of the mind devoid of error or remorse. Let those who profess faith in Jesus Christ maintain good works. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” “ I am a dead dog,” exclaimed a poor back- slider to the Christian faith! Is there not more hope of him than of a professing Chris- tian saint, who sins daily and seeks to hide his iniquity? Prayer, like a golden key, unlocks treasures of inestimable value. Be careful which Way you turn it. The heart of a wicked person drinks in vanity as a dry sponge absorbs water. When they are full, a very little pressure causes an emis- sion. D. A. Bucxmonur. Why I am a Shaker. A friend asks : “ Why are you a Shaker?” ﬂnswer.--Because I have resolved to be an honest man — a Christian. Jesus was the ﬁrst Christian. By precept and example he pointed to a more excellent way than was marked out even in the Jewish economy, which was far above heathen idolatry. When I was awakened to see my loss from God, through a departure from his laws, I sought to become a Christian. I looked to the Churches to ﬁnd the good Shepherd who feeds his flock, for my soul was hungry. But I could not ﬁnd him ; nor hear his voice. I then looked to ﬁnd his footprints, that I might know whither he leadeth his ﬂock to rest. The min- isters of the popular churches told me that I 80 THE SHAKER. was a Christian. But my conscience said, Nay !‘ Jesus Christ, the great examplar, said, come out from the world and be separate; be pure, be just, be holy; renounce War, and those lusts which produce war. “ As ye would that others should do to you, so do ye the same to them.” I knew that I could not be a full Christian unless I followed the example of Jesus Christ, and lived, in word and deed, as he did; and my conscience reproached me, and was my accuser day and night‘; for I was so very unlike the Pattern, who ‘was a celibate from deep principle; this I was not. He ut- terly condemned war; I did not. He said, “ Whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in Heaven, the same is my relative-— my mother, or sister, or brother.” The ties of consanguinity (not the principles of pure celibacy) formed the bond which held me. The Spirit, through Providential agencies, led me to the Shakers. I found them to be a community of people living as did the Pente- costal Church, ignoring war and private prop- erty, loving their brethren and sisters as themselves, and abstaining from all sexual and sensual gratiﬁcations ; indeed, living pure vir- gin lives. “ By their fruits ye shall know them.” Here were the fruits. As an honest man, I cast my lot with them. They taught me to confess and forsake all sin; to right every wrong; to cleanse my heart from all im- purity, and to “ go and sin no more.” This is why I am a Shaker. ADAM Gnonenson, Canaan, N. Y. » Society Record. Mr. LEBANON.—We learn that black was the color, decided by the majority, for the new fence at the Church Fami1y—we yield to majorities. Apples scarce; pears abundant, but suffering from blight or rust; blackberries many-—“twenty-two individuals, including horses and wagons. visited Washington Mt. to collect them, September 2.” F. W. Evans arrived home on the 5th of September, in good health, though somewhat worn; he was more than welcome. Wivrsnvninr.-—Ministry here on the 13th of Sep- tember, from Lebanon. General health. Sealing fruits in full operation. HANCOCK.—A new woodhouse is completed here- thirty feet by seventy feet. Crops look well——corn a little later than usual. ENFIELD, N. H.—Ch1irch family have done some painting. The North have painted all their buildings within the year. If any Shakers, or those who ad- mire Shaker work, are in need of Shaker pails, tubs, etc., write H. Cumings, Enﬁeld, N. H. We are vouchers for quality. Smnnnr says we made a mistake concerning black- bem-ies——they were blue-berries; glad to correct. They also want more health than was represented in Sep- tember. CANTERBURY.—-“Larg‘er crowds at our meetings this year than for years. Wish we could better ad- minister to their necessities” Usual health. Elder Benjamin Smith is aﬂiicted by over-exertion and sun- stroke, but improving. ALFRED.—Ministry at Mt. L. on the 2d of Septem- bet. Sale of place not mentioned. SOUTH UNl0N.—“ Religious element very scarce in these parts—about ﬁfty attendingpublic service from without the village—-more being too lazy to get up, and to our meetings by 10 A. M.” Onrrnsmxs. Henry Youngs, Mt. L., aged 83, August 22. Richard Dean, W. V., N. Y., aged 73, Aug. 17. Anna Rawson, Hancock, aged 92, August 17. Eldress Eunice Hastings, Hancock, aged 80, Sept. 9. NOTICE.-—Stcreoscopic views of Shaker villages can be obtained by addressing James Irving, Troy, N, Y., and H. A. Kimball, Concord, N. H. "“ Gospel Treasures. Should we take the bright wings of thczmorn And soar over mountain and sea, From isles that old ocean adorn, To lands where the bright ﬂowers be; Should the mountains unbosom their gold, And ocean her jewels restore, Should earth all her treasures unfold, Our spirits would still thirst for more. There are far reaching depths in the soul, N o phantoms of pleasure can ﬁll; There are wild waves of passions that roll, No power but of Heaven can still: There’s a heart sad and lonely within, A hunger for good from above; There’s a deep seated sorrow for sin, And thirst for pure Heavenly love. There’s a happiness purity brings, Contentment the gospel bestows; There’s a hope in the trusting heart springs, Triumphant o’er earth and its woes: Thcrels a treasure of bliss far away, Reserved for the righteous in store; And the bright morn is dawning to-day That never knows night any more. There are pleasures that never grow old, And hopes that will never decay; There's a wealth that is richer than gold, To all who the gospel obey. Rejoice, then, ye faithful and true, Your day of salvation has come; The bright crown of glory in view, Invites to your Heavenly home. E. T. LEGGETT. UNION VILLAGE, Ohio, Aug. 1871. To the Juvenile Class. The different stages of human existence may be compared to the seasons of each year- Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. The skillful agriculturist and horticulturist under- stand the appropriate work for each of the sea- sons as they roll around. Spring is the proper time to prepare the soil for the reception of choice seeds. The earth itself contains seed which will grow without cultivation, and bring forth fruits and ﬂowers. Some of the various kinds of fruits which grow spontaneously, are good and useful for food, both for men and birds; other kinds, which look very inviting, are poisonous and very hurtful. So of wild ﬂowers and plants; some contain deadly poi- son, although they may be beautiful in appear- ance, while other kinds emit a sweet perfume, and the aroma is healthful. But cereals, and the choicest fruits and ﬂowers, are produced by skill and labor. After the soil is properly pre- pared, the wise and careful husbandman de- posits the good seed in the earth, where it is kindly nourished, warmed and enlivened by the sun’s rays, and moistened by the dew-drops and gentle showers. Thus nurtured, those seeds germinate, and the little roots being weak and tender, they work their way down into _the soil to get a strong hold there; while the deli- cate tendrils climb upwardginto the sunlight and unfold their leaves, which are full of little ﬁbres, resembling the veins and pores of the human body, which open their mouths to in- hale the pure" atmosphere and drink in the sweet dews of the morning. VVith intense interest the agriculturist watches the growth of the good seed, and also watches, with a jealous eye, the appearance of every wild plant, or weed, that he may without delay pluck them up so that they may not choke the better seed, which should occupy the whole ground and have room to expand and grow, nourished by the full strength of the soil. Even then, if the sun .refuses to shine, or the clouds withhold the rain, those choice plants or vines become enfeebled, and wither, droop and die. But, aided by those essential elements, and the nice implements which art has produced, he toils hopefully on, and by midsummer he begins to reap some of the fruits of ‘his labor. The gathering in of a bountiful harvest is a joyful task, although somewhat laborious. With an eye to the future, day after day he toils on and gathers the ripe fruits, each in their season, and stores them carefully away; and, by the time that Spring, Summer and Autumn have passed, his gamers are ﬁlled.‘ And when the cold bleak winds of winter come riding along in their chariot, and the ﬂeecy snows cover hill and dale, and ice-bound rivers and lakes are seen on the right hand and the left, this wise tiller of the soil is ready to wrap himself in his mantle and gather to his warm ﬁreside to enjoy the fruits of his labor in the midst of peace and plenty. In my next I will show the analogy of the seasons with the life we call human. A. DOOLITTLE. It is desired that Believers interested in the MEDIUM AND DAYBREAK, of London, should subscribe for the same. F. W. Evans will act as agent. * THEE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITION OF RELIGION, ACCORDING TO SHAKER THEOLOGY. FIFTY Cnnrs, PER ANNUM. IN ADVANCE. G. A. LOMAS, Resident Editor, Shakers, Albany Co., N. Y. MEMBERS or SOCIETY ﬂppointed to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. Elder F. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, N. Y. Calvin G. Reed, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. . Simon Mabee. West Pittsﬁeld, Mass. Stoughton Kellogg, Thompsonville, Conn., Shakers. Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. _ Wm. Leonard, Ayer, Mass., Shakers. John Whiteley, Shirley Village, Middlesex Co., Mass. Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. Henry Cummings, Enﬁeld, Grafton Co., N. H. John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. Alonzo Gilman, West Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Me., Shakers. “ Chas. Clapp, Union Village, Warren Co., 0., Shakers. Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers, Ohio. Jacob Knlp, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. PUBLICATIONS. Christ’s First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church - - - - - - 1 00 Compendium of Shakcrism - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests - - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0110
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 11 (November 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-11-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “IVVILI. SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I VVILL FILL THIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITH THE LORD." Published Monthly, by, and under the direction ‘of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. Von. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY co, N. Y., NOVEMBER, 1871. No. 11. Extremes. That one extreme produces another, is a truism. Dogmatic theology “ demands absolute, unswerving submission from the human mind. Doubt is sin; unbelicf is damnation.” The other extreme-——simple materialism—res'ts upon the axiom that religious (as well as every other) belief is the result of evidence; that nnbelief, in any proposition, arises from the want of proof-——demonstration. All children are materialists; and if, as they grow to puberty, they would never "profess to believe what they do not under- stand, it would “ save” them from hypocrisy, and cause their ‘teachers to reason, not to threaten. They would not then, as now, “ aﬁirm things whereof they know not.” “ Come now, and let us reason to...
Show more“IVVILI. SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I VVILL FILL THIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITH THE LORD." Published Monthly, by, and under the direction ‘of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. Von. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY co, N. Y., NOVEMBER, 1871. No. 11. Extremes. That one extreme produces another, is a truism. Dogmatic theology “ demands absolute, unswerving submission from the human mind. Doubt is sin; unbelicf is damnation.” The other extreme-——simple materialism—res'ts upon the axiom that religious (as well as every other) belief is the result of evidence; that nnbelief, in any proposition, arises from the want of proof-——demonstration. All children are materialists; and if, as they grow to puberty, they would never "profess to believe what they do not under- stand, it would “ save” them from hypocrisy, and cause their ‘teachers to reason, not to threaten. They would not then, as now, “ aﬁirm things whereof they know not.” “ Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord!” Why do not the clergy, who profess to be his ambassadors, pass the invitation down to the people ? Simply because their dogmas are unreasonable, or, as they [in phrase polite) express it, “ above reason ;” and every man and woman ought to be “ above” pretending to believe them as an act of the will, a thing impossible. Let any one try to believe that his mortal body, when laid six feet deep in the ground, will do anything but decom- pose, as would the body of a horse, “ for both go to one place—the earth; and as dieth the one, so dieth the other,” as decayeth the one, so decayeth the other. Then let him try to disbelieve that a grape-vine, anywhere within twenty feet thereof, will send its roots thereto, tomake that human body into grapes. Or, let him try to doubt the additional fact that some mischievous boys, or busy girls, will incor- porate those grapes into their living bodies, and give some to their friends, thus utterly subverting the absurd doctrine of a phy- sical resurrection by proving that men and women,_in more ways than one, are continually “ eating one another.” He is a “ fool, who saith, in his heart, There is no God,” and equally a fool is he who saith with his tongue, “ There is a God,” wlfen he knows it not with his under- standing, and (“ in his heart”) does not believe it. I honor, as honest men or women, those who are just what “ they seem to be, and who profess and seem to be just what they are.” Do they believe simply in external matter—-the object of their external senses? Let them honestly declare, “I am a materialist! and what I do believe all human beings believe!” materialism being rudimentary to the race. Who knows when Spiritualism, as an idea, first enters the brain? and when endless life and immortality (which are the same thing) come into the understand- ing, as a light shining in a dark place, making things visible which (before) were “ not seen?” I love the frank simplicity of soul that enables one to say, I have done wrong; I have been mistaken; or, “I do not know.” Teach me, and I shall be instructed ; turn me, and I shall be turned; convince me, and “lead me in the way everlasting.” That is true nobility! Cannot you convert me by your good words? then confound me by your good works, so shall I believe for your “ very Works’ sake,” inasmuch as, by the superior fruits of the spiritually religious Believers in Christ’s second advent, all men and women shall distinguish, or “ know,” them from the innumerable sects who, though naming the name of Christianity, do not depart from selﬁshness, nor do they love one another into areligious Community. F, W. E. The Difficult Lesson. LOSING ALL, AND GAINING noun THAN ALL. One of the most diﬁicult lessons for indi- viduals to learn, is the fact that there are two planes of existence for humanity, either in this world, or in that to which we are hasten- ing with every diurnal revolution of our planet. The vulture-eyed philosopher, nor the lion- hearted reformer, outside of Shakerism, seem to comprehend this fact, excepting in very rare instances. Hence, we are not surprised, when Horace Greeley, writing of THE SHAKERS, asks : “ Are our relations with men and Women so universally pure, that we may rightly despise those, who, unable to separate the palpable evil from the latent good, reject both together?” Nor are we disappointed, when Alcander Longley, of The C'ommu/nist, asserts that Ann Lee’s very proper disgust at the low state of morals around her, caused her to run to the other cxtreme—-that of cclibacy—instead of stopping at the condition of rcsp«:table marriage! In answer to “ our later Franklin,” and our would-be founder of -a community, we here say: That we are just as able to see, and to separate the good from the evils of the marital relation as any others; and that We have “run to the other extreme,” not so much from our disgust of social evils, as for our admiration of the superior joys of angelhood. VVe know marriage has its proper sphere——on the earthly plane—-there it is honorable, when honorably conducted; and for a criterion of honorable marriage we would name either the system of Mosaism or that of George Fox. Scarcely an instance can be produced of mari- tal relations being conducted now, upon either of these admirable bases. Andyet, not be- cause of the mourning cry of humanity from one end of the land to the other, do we invite any to become celibates! The Jews were very perfect in their reproductions, when they could bring forth such specimens of humanity as Jesus.’ and yet, amid the most perfect on the earthly plane the necessity appeared for a celibate order of beings ; and he who was the fulﬁllment of God’s promise to Moses, in “ taking all sickness from the midst of Israel,” became the leader of the celibate or Christian order! Was the reason of Jesus’ renunciation of the marital relation, because he could not separate “ the ‘palpable evil from the latent good ?” Or were his surroundings so disgusting in consequence of lust that he “ ran to the other extreme?” ‘ Jesus and Ann were the evangelists, not of an improvement of the old order of things, but for the introduction of the New Creation ; not for the recuperation of “the earth and those who are earthy,” but to baptize souls with the rcsurrecting power of “the Lord from heaven”——the very antipode'of the “ Adam of the earth, earthy !” Recognizing the distinc- tion between the earthly and the heavenly as we do, we can easily “comprehend the good and the bad of the earthly,” and “ reject both ''together,” because of the superior joys and relations of the heavenly. Could we enjoy the felicities of matrimony exceeding the most ﬁnely drawn picture of the most exaggerating, sensational novelist; and could we reproduce olfspring as perfect as was Jesus; we should feel no more permission to engage therein, than we now do, when “incompatibility of temper” is so common, and when the produc- tion of less healthful progeny than monkeys is so general! To us there is a sphere that is as elevated above the reproductive, as our estimates of heaven are superior to our 8‘-.3 TIE Ii‘. SI-IAI{ER estimates of the earth. “Marriage peoples the earth,” said the saint; “ but Celibaey in- creases the forces of heaven!” and _said a greater: “The children of this world (the earthy), marry and are given in marriage,” very properly so, and we wish more honor- ably so; “but my children——the children of the Resurrection order——I am the Resurrec- tion—neither marry nor are given in mar- riage !” Claiming, as we do, to be Christians ———having aspirations to be “the children of the Resurrection;” how can we be expected to soil our bodies or souls in the mire and ﬁlth of that which constitutes the order we profess to having been raised above? And yet, we are not practicing celibacy because Jesus did; nor because Ann Lee taught it to be a necessary element in the C‘-hristian’s character; but we have risen in love with the eternal principles they have presented to our enlightened understandings, instead of falling in love with the temptations of nature, pure, or perverted! Could the angelic hosts per- sonate physical humanity, so would we, have our lives resemble them; not for the appear- ance, but for the enjoyment here upon ‘the earth, the fruition of the- same principles engaged in by the disembodied pure and per- fected. ' Let others cleave to the earth ; to earthly in- stitutions and practices as seems to them proper; such cannot reasonably expect that we, who have had our lives cut of from the earthy plane, can remain satisﬁed with the nourishment of earthly pleasures ; but having become ripe for the Christian harvest, we ﬁnd a new and higher source of supplies; when leaving our loves of earth, its vanities and re- lations, we ﬁnd the never-failing manna, and the ever—ﬂowing fountains of life, eternal life. We are being schooled into eternal life. We have forsaken the loves of the word as well as its lusts, because neither are eternal. VVe realize war to be the product of earthly loves and relations; We will not ﬁght, nor vote for those who do ﬁght; nor for: those who believe in marriage,,private property, or who engage in ﬂeshly lusts" of Whatever description; for these are not eternal, and We pray for their discontinuance, But few have ripened up to this necessity, and to the solving of this diffi- cult lesson——a lesson impossible for the car- nally-minded to learn ; but the ﬁelds of human souls are ripening unto the harvest, and for such we have attempted an -illumination. Already in the distance, in America and over the waters, we see, we hear mighty souls pro- claiming the everlasting testimony; still nearer, we see, we hear, from Ilammonton,¢ N. J ., to Monticello, Minn., the more perfect testimony of an enduring life; and nearer still, we see, we hear, we feel Brethren and Sisters in Christ—“ the few who have found it”——walking the narrow way, and “despis- ing the shame” of peculiarity from the multi- tude, losing their lives on the plane of earth, for an eternal residence in the heavens. * AM01\'G the many justifiable Bible authorities for Wrong doing,’ is the following :—The tobacco user ﬁnds his in: “ He that is ﬁlthy, let him be filthy still.” What says the “ SHAKER?" E. M. Hope On. Hope on to the last, tho’ the dark clouds may gather, Enclrcling. thy course in tempest array; The storm shall pass o’er, and the sun in its splendor, Will brighter the beauties of nature display. Hope on to the last, tho’ many oppose thee, Be true to the cause of justice and right; For truth is a. legion, and God will sustain thee, _ And turn in their souls the darkness to light. Hope on to the last, tho’ the soft shades of evening, Are hidden behind the curtains of night, And the haven of rest, which glemned in the distance, Enveloped in blackness, is hid from thy sight. Hope on to the last, there are joys in the future ; Weep not for those phantoms long since past away, For the pleasures of earth are exceeded in heaven, As the stars are outshone by the brightorb of day. Hope on to the last, for thy joys are eternal, And thousands shall join in thy welcome above, lVhile the nntiring strains of heavenly music, Announce thy approach to the regions of lore. ‘ J. V. CALVER. “ Owe no Man,” etc. “I do not know that I owe any man a dollar !”——Edward Fowler. “ Once it was the custom for each individual to“repeat, from 'memory,'some regulation of the family or society, when all had gathered for worship. The ministry were notexcepted. We were all anxious to know which rule Elder Ebenezer Bishop (then the presiding Elder of Believers) would repeat, supposing it Would bethe most important spiritual requi- sition. All were disappointed when he repeated, ‘ Believers must not run into debt!’ But circumstances have since proved the wisdom of his choice, as touching both the temporal and spiritual prosperity of our people.”—- Chauncy Miller. “ I have been in the '_I‘rustee’s oﬂice for many years, yet I never gave my note to any one, and I never will.”-—-Simon Atherton. “ Of all afflictions, being in debt is the worst. I make it a rule to pay my employees in full once a month, whether they want their-wages or not.”—-Benjamin Gates. “I endeavor to keep my accountsjin that manner, that the whole could be straightened and balanced with an hour’s notice.”—Levi Shaw. “Hand in hand, with the injunction that we must not run in debt, should be an injunc- tion not to live, nor desire to live, beyond our means.”——Galen Richmond. The above, as may be seen, are the remarks of some of the most prominent members of Shaker Society to-day, doing business as Trustees. “ That child around, and taking notes, and faith he’ll print them,” will surprise these members somewhat, but he, nevertheless, feels honored by the testimony he has unob- servedly obtained, and in being able to record for the beneﬁt of others their sage counsels. Undoubtedly, the column could be many times ﬁlled with like matter, all tending to advise : “Look before you leap,” and “ Dip not out more than gets in, else you will come to want.” Carelessness on the part of Believers has caused them to swerve somewhat from the rule enforced by that good Elder in an eastern Society, who would not permit the Trustee to mingle -with the rest in worship, because he had failed to pay two or three shillings due on a hogshead of molasses he had brought home! Suppose the same rule were now inforce, how many trustees would be in durance? "“ Salvation by Obedience. Obedience to God——obedience to his laW——to faith and principle: This has always been re- quired ever since the creation of man, and his being placed in Eden’s Garden. It was necessary for the order and regulation of man’s doings in the ordinary course of busi- ness life. It was needful for_man’s daily pro- tection and salvation, spiritually. Law, with- out obedience, is like faith without works-— man without soul, or a body without spirit. Obedience is the very life principle of law. The laws of a people, country or nation are of but little value without obedience, for they will be neither enforced nor kept. The law which saith, “Thou shalt not commit adul- tery ;” if a man commit adultery, how is he beneﬁted by the law? He may meet the penalty of the law by chastisement or im- prisonment; but unless his conﬁnement or sufferings by such penalty work repentance, he will again sin when opportunity offers. In tracing back God’s ‘dealings with his creature—man-—we ﬁnd the original law de- livered to him bylhis Creator, when placed in the Garden of Eden, was, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat ; but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” This was God’s law or commandment to man in the beginning. Didman keep this law? N ow, this law, whether given to man verbally or written upon his heart-intuitive knowledge— it matters not. He was, doubtless, made able to comprehend ,it. The breath of the Almighty breathed‘ into man, by which he became a living soul, endowed him with rea- son and understanding sufficient to know his duty to his Maker, and What was in that day required of him. By disobedience to law, to the command- ment or the knowledge of God implanted in the soul, man lost his union and communion with his Creator, and his right to the Tree of Life, which was also in the garden placed. Shame and dishonor ensued; yea, even death! Consequently, the disposition in man to hide in the bushes, to evade the countenance of the Almighty. Man discovered his own naked- ness. He knew he had transgressed God’s law. He was fearful of the consequences- the doom pronounced upon disobedience-—the penalty of the law. The promise of God afterwards given to man, that the “seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head,” has ever been man’s anchor and hope through all time of the past up to the present. And ever since the sad event of the fall, it has been man’s duty and privilege, through God’s goodness and mercy, to be eradicating from his soul the bane then received by disobedience. Jesus Christ opened the door, and led the way to man’s redemption. “All who will may partake of the waters of life freely.” Man is still left to choose or refuse. “ Come unto me all ye that labor andare heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my.yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall ﬁnd rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” _TIIfE SI-IAKER. 83 From the day of the original transgression -of God’s law, there have always been ‘ministers or teachers of God’s word, those endowed with a measure of lightand truth, suﬂicient to show mankind their duty, and to lead them upward (by degrees) from death to life, if they would yield obedience to the divine truths made known by those empowered to teach. Those who ‘were obedient to the in- structions and "warnings of Noah, were saved from the mighty deluge which was about to destroy the world. Abram was a teacher of righteousness. His faith and obedience was an example to mankind, worthy of imitation. Obedience to God’s laws through Moses, was leading the human race, step by step, higher up the Ladder of Progress, into a knowledge of God’s will to man, as pertaining to the work of his redemption from under the curse. It is as impossible for man, in his lost state and condition, to become imniediatelyrein-_ J stated, or joined in full union and communion with his Creator—God— to be redeemed from the fall, all at once, as it is fora child ‘who has commenced to learn his a, b, c, in literary knowledge, to become immediately master of the arts andsciences. He has departed from the true knowledge of his Maker, and must retrace hissteps, grow into the knowledge of the truth, by degrees, as he has departed from it. For man did not—could not fall into the lowest state of degradation all at once. This immediate conversion and redemption from death to life, without self—mortiﬁcation, and a daily cross-bearing, is a deception. The im- puted righteousness of Christ, which is said to release converted souls from all responsi- bilityand trouble thereafter, on the part of the sinner, is a false covering of the adversary of souls, designed to ease the consciences of men and women, ‘and lull them into sleep and death, deeper than before. “Except a man deny_himself, take up his cross and follow me,” saith Jesus, “ he cannot be my disciple.” Jesus did not effect the great work of over- coming the world in himself, in a moment, an hour, nor a day. It was by daily training from childhood to manhood, up to the time of his Baptism in the River Jordan, and many sor- . rowful days thereafter. . How greatly was he tempted, and how severe were his struggles, combatting with his enemy, the Devil (what- ever may have been his form or feature) which, according to Scripture account, lasted forty days and nights! “ The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” Jesus set the example of daily cross-bear- ing, overcoming evil with good, whenever and wherever opportunity offered. “ Let him that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” The law of Moses served as a schoolmaster to lead souls to Christ. In obedience to that law the children of Israel inherited the promised land—-a land ﬂowing with milk and honey. If there had been no law or commandment saying, “ Thou shalt not kill; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt. not commit adultery,” etc., man would not be culpable for so doing. By the knowledge of the law, ‘sin in revealed. “ Where there is no law, there is no transgres- sion.” “ For sin is the transgression of the law.” Jesus Christ came into the world to put an end to sin, and introduce an everlast- ing righteousness. This he did by overcom- ing the woe'3.d in himself, and setting an ex- ample for others to do likewise. “ I am the Resurrection,” said Christ. Man must be resurrected from death and deathly works, into the new life, which is in Christ. He must be born again. This new birth is spiritual, not carnal-not physical. “ Except a man be born again,” said Christ, “he can not see the Kingdom of God.” This saying of our Saviour was not comprehended by Nicodemus. Our Savior explained it to him more fully. That he must be born of the spirit, and not after the ﬂesh. “ That which is born of the ﬂesh is ﬂesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. . Marvel not that I say unto you, ye must be born again.” Mankind, instead of being led by the spirit of Christ, which worketh by love and purity of heart, are governed too much by selﬁsh- ness, passion, pride and lust; seeking their own ease and aggrandizement, not G,gd’s honor and glory. Trace the travel and progress of the children of Israel from their rise to their fall --from their deliverance from Egyptian bond- age to the destruction of Jerusalem; and you will ﬁnd that in all or "nearly all cases, where they were subject to God’s word and law to them, prosperity attended; but when they re- jected or disobeyed, they were smitten by their enemies, or in some way suffered loss. It reasoned not who was ruler, judge or king over the people, disobedience to God’s re- quirements always brought trouble. Kings and rulers may err and deviate to the right and left of the true standard of Truth and Equity, but God’s word abideth forever. Principles vary not. While under the law, all must be subject to the law. But when having come out from under the old com—; mandment into the new, or covenant of Grace, the latter takes the pre—eminence—the old is’ fulﬁlled-—as in Jesus Christ. “One jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law till all be fulﬁlled.” Jesus Christ was the end of the law to them that believe—those who walk no more after the ﬂesh, but after the spirit—who follow not the ‘ﬁrst Adam in the work of generation, but the Second Adam in the work of the regeneration. If we say we have no faith in such a one or ones, or that we have no conﬁdence in the administration of God’s law by or through such individuals or persons called to be rul- ers in the Church or House of God, are we justiﬁed in rejecting, or in going contrary to their counsel and instruction ? Such are ministers of God’s word or law; and obedience to the law or testimony is required of all under it. If we respect not the person or persons, have respect for God’s law, though administered by them. The principles of truth and right should govern us, not pas- sion and partial feelings. Man cannot change principles by misdirection or misapplication of them. i Jesus said, “ If a man love me he will keep my sayings.” Many professors of Christianity make great pretensions of their love to God, ' or love to Christ, who really are unwilling to prove their love by acts of kindness, self- denial and the daily cross, as Jesus did. They "seem willing to name the name of Christ, but unwilling to depart from iniquity. The teachings of our Lord and Saviour were on this wise: “ Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.” “ Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” “Render not evil for evil, but good for evil.” ~ Here is a new commandment given under the gospel dispensation. It is Universal Love. No more an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, but love and good will toward all men. No more war and bloodshed, strife and contention, selﬁshness and individual promo- tion, one rising above another with superior claims and usurpation, but community of goods, united interests, brotherly and sisterly love, justice, righteousness and equity in all things. No special toleration for particular, personal fellowship, or affection for this or ’ that one, but it is all ours—universa1 brother- hood. . , Every house set in order must have laws, rules and regulations to keep it so. But who- ever knew one kept in that condition, unless the gift or principie of obedience reigned there? D. A. BUCKINGHATQI. Truth, Faith, and Reason. Truth and reality must be the basis of all" moral excellence and durable bliss. Fiction and false views, like unsuspected counterfeit coin, may appear like reality, and give great present satisfaction, but sooner or later the deception will be discovered, when the sting of disappointment will succeed, and be in proportion to the ever-departed joy. As we rarely or never discover the true amount of large accounts, without carefully considering and adding each particular item, so neither shall we ever attain to truth without patient and careful investigation.‘ lVe may reasonably suspect the man who requires us to believe without investigation, for, if he be neither dishonest nor designing, he must be under the inﬂuence of a credulity that renders his opinions unreliable. He that imposes first on his own under- standing by believing without examination, will most likely impose on that of others, if permitted. He that has thoroughly investigated a sub- ject, and satisﬁed his own understanding of its truth, far from wishing others to take it upon trust, earnestly desires them to examine for themselves. > There can be no permanent happiness, only in conformity to the truth and reality of things ; whatever is forced, far—fetched, or false, must ultimately fail. Man assertions do not make one truth. He t lat does nothing but that which is good, says nothing but that which is true, thinks nothing but that which is pure, need not fear being put to shame. “ All power,” said Jesus, “in heaven and 84. TIJE S]}IAI{E-R. earth is given me,” 1'. e., all power—the power of God is pledged for the support of my gospel, the truth which I have taught, for truth is Almighty. God is truth. 4 O, Heavenly Father, teachme thy truth! my desire is to believe all that is true, and practice all I believe. If we cannot bring truth to agree with our wishes, we must subject our desires to truth. We never act rationally while in our affec- tions we give temporal things the ascendancy over those which are spiritual and eternal. To deceive, and act the hypocrite, costs more than sincerely to be what we pretend. ‘How base, then, is hypocrisy. Universal truth comprehends all the real‘ qualities, relations, and dependencies that exist in and between all things in the universe. Some’ small portion of these have been dis- covered by, or revealed to, man. For convenience of investigation, universal truth may be divided into two departments, Moral and Physical —-the one relating to mind, the other to matter. All truth is precious, but truth in relation to moral subjects is inﬁnitely more important than that which merely relates to the physical, inasmuch as it relates to the present and eternal well-being of inﬁnite millions of immortal in- telligences. PELHAM. The World. What is the world? A l';lind§ing maze. Whcrelsin hath marked ten thousand ways, ’ Its victims to ensnarn; Tl_1ey’re broad, they’re winding, and aslope, '.I‘hey’re void of truth, and void of hope, All ending in despair. Millions of travelers throng these roads, Borne down by sin in heavy loads, To dark and dismal night. One humble patth, that never bends, Narrow, yet rough and steep. ascends From darkness into light. 15 there no guide to show that path 2 The Gospel! He alone who hath The Gospel, need not stray; But he who hath, yet doth not give The Gospel light that souls may live’, Himself shall lose the way. DANIEL Onourr, Ennelcl, Conn. Hampton Logic. In order that a religious superstructure of organization may be eternal -in duration, its foundations must be deeply laid in a substra- tum of Eternal Truth. In accordance with this proposition, I propose to show that We, as a Church of Believers in Christ’s ﬁrst and second appearing, are based upon an immut- able and steadfast foundation, impregnable to A any assault, so long as we ourselves continue to build thereon ; conferring upon each faith- ful builder complete immunity from sorrow and danger, and, ﬁnally, placing such in a condition of sinless perfection, completely‘ saving all souls, in all worlds, who are obedient to its practical suggestions : , ' 1. The highest wisdom possible to be brought to bear on human weal must» be em- braced in that plan only, which, in its prac- tical results, will secure the greatest good to the greatest number. i 2. Again, this wisdom can reach and beneﬁt man only through the agency of a universal law-—that the less is and must be blest of the better. In other words, those possessing a measure of wisdom, goodness and perfection, must reach higher degrees of these through the agency of those possessing a greater amount of wisdom, goodness, etc., or remain forever where they are. Now, if our system of religious life can be proved to stand upon these two immutable principles, it is safe for all time and eternity. Let us see: I remark then, ﬁrst, that we are organized on the plan of the Pentecostal Church of Jesus ; that is to say, we have all things in common, none being permitted to consider‘ or to call aught that he holds his own, but distribution made as each has need. We are equally conditioned according to our several needs and circumstances relative to labor and clothes—equal in facilities for intel- lectual improvement, and equal in all the ‘gifts, graces and consolations of the Holy 'Spirit. And, moreover, the sexes are equal in regard to the distribution" of powers, privi- leges, responsibilities and oﬁices, in‘ the ad- ministration of the government of our organi- zation, in things temporal and spiritual. Is not our organization, on this principle, the only one capable of securing the greatest good to the greatest number; at least the best that can be devised for man, during his abode on this earth? A society or organization based on these ~princi'ples‘ is manipulated with undeviating reference to that great law of the universe, by which “ the less is blest of the better.” here, it seems to me, is the point in which the Religious System, based on the foregoing principles, pre-eminently lays legitimate claim to a foundation ﬁrm as the everlasting hills. Every individual of Christ’s true Church, from the least child to the highest ofliicer, is lmediately superintended and cared for all the orders and spheres of the heavens who are farther progressed than he is ; and super- intended immediately by an order of persons supposed to be suﬁiciently in advance of him to subserve his every purpose for protection, and salvation from sin, as well as for growth in grace and holiness 1 - Now, this Divine Arrangement does not terminate in the highest representatives there- of here on the earth, but is continued through many orders, reaching, in its sublime gyra- tions, our Mother Ann and Jesus our Father, then their direct ministering angels and intel- ligences, etc., passing on through myriads on myriads of heavenly orders of spirits; in fact passing into a boundless infinitude of arrange- ment whose end is nowhere. If this sublime system of agency terminated at the highest point reached here in time, how could we be linked to the great battery of heaven, so as to receive its magnetic inﬂuence, and through that, our power to progress .7 VVe have better assurances. This connecting, transmitting claim of agency passes beyond the gateway of death, and on through sphere after sphere and order after order of heavenly intelligences, even ad i/n,ﬁm't'um. _ Jesus and Ann are only heavenly links in the great chain or concatenation of agencies, through which the magnetisms and powers of progress are transmitted to all below them, And _ for the purposes of spirit culture in holiness, and every good and perfect gift. That there is no end to this series of agencies, I think I have the best of reasons for believing, viewing the subject from philosophical and logical points. Besides, I have the testimony of one who declared, “there was no end to the heavens,” when interrogated upon the subject of the different orders therein. Then the query arises, where is the great center of this magnetic inﬂuence, permeating every part of the universe, and moving by grand and sub- lime pulsations through the countless heavens, and earths, which “ roll in the depths of im- mensity 2” I answer: Where there is no circumference there can be no center; consequently this Divine influence is distributed wherever the visible or invisible machinery is found for its transmission in the Whole concatenation of in- dividualized intelligences throughout the uni- verse. The direction of this power of the All , Father and All Mother is forevertoward-higlier ' and higher degrees of perfection in‘ goodness and intelligence, from lower and more imperfect conditions. It maybe av-s~ked:'Do you not, by this argument, destroy the theory of 3 personal God outside of and independent of the universe of forms and forces? Answer‘- ing this question indirectly, we think we fur- nish a “local habitation and a name” for the Father and Mother God, more consistent than any other theory can develop; and indeed any other theory or ascription of personality to God, will not bear the rigid scrutiny of logic or common sense for a moment ; so at least it seems to the writer. The universe then is the home of our Father and Mother, and all pro- gressive manifestations are the results of their inﬂuence and presence. This must be so, for if the universe of mind and matter is bound- less and inﬁnite, no God can be predicated as having a separate, personal existence outside of it, because there is no outside, and, conse- quently, 'no room for such existence. Again, if the universe is peopled by inﬁnite myriads of entities and individual intelligences, and the Father and Mother spirit permeate and abide in these, what need of a separate, incompre- hensible abode outside of all these, or if these are inﬁnite in extent, which is Ann Lee’s tes- timony, what room, as before stated, is left for this separate abode? ‘Nherr we pray, we pray to all the hosts’ of heaven, even the myriads of individualized intelligences embrac- ing the entire universe who are greater, holier and more perfect than ourselves; through these we reach the heavenly Father and Mother, who reside in this multinomial series as a: sublime whole. Is not this praying to the All Father and Mother in their entirety, as far as we can have any intelligent comprehen- sion of that entirety ? ' But in this view is im- plied the great law of the universe, that “the less is blest of the better,” and through this, that other condition, the plan by which the greatest good is secured to the greatest num- ber. Millions of purposes are subserved through the medium of this arrangement, hav- ing for their object the best and highest re- sults in the evolution of all things toward perfection. Among these benevolent purposes luv r1VrivIvr*' ‘ *“" : TIE-IE SHAKER. 85 and intents, the eternal progress of man in in- telligence, and greater and greater degrees of goodness and consequent salvation and happi- ness, stand pre-eminent. Jesus being the most holy, as well as the most intelligent organizer of which we have any history, and Mother Ann Lee having organized her Church precisely after Jesus’ model, and both being based upon the two eternal laws of the universe (above stated), therefore it would seem to be proved that the foundation of the Church of Christ’s second appearing is sure, steadfast, eternal, one upon _which we may forever build in safety, passing on from grace to grace and from glory to glory forever, evolving from age to age higher degrees of in- telligence, goodness and felicity during all the endless ages of the interminable future. 0. C. IIAluProN. The Flowers. I walked through a beautiful garden so green, My heart was quite illled with delight at t.he scene; The ﬂowers were all blooming, most gorgeously dressed; But soon sad emotions my spirit depressed; For this thought came o’er me: How short is your stay, Ye beautiful ﬂowers, so brilliant and gay ? VVith leaves now expanding, with‘ colors so bright, And buds bursting sweetly the eye to delight; Refreshed by the dews of the morning so fair, Exhaling sweet odors, perfuming the air; But all those enchantments, so gay to the eye, Though rich in their beauty, soon wither and die. The beautiful summerl—how soon it is o’er, And the bloom of the ﬂowers is remembered no more; But deep in the heart that is free from all stain, There are ﬂowers that bloom, and their beauty re- tain 5 No rough wintry storms, nor ﬁerce tempcsts that roll Can harm those sweet ﬂowers that bloom in the soul; ’Mid the hot scorching rays of earth’s ﬂerce summer sun, Their freshness and vigor appear just begun. They will blossom anew in that heavenly land, VVhere joys are eternal and beauties expand; Where pure crystal streamlets continually roll To water those ﬂowers that bloom in the soul. PLEASANT HILL, Ky. POLLY M. RUPE. THE following article speaks -for itself. Some of our correspondents need just this in- struction, with additions. We have some otherwise good articles. on hand, which we know not what to do with, while very many have been reluctaiyly hurled into the waste basket: The Lowell Courier says: “When will that millenium for editors arrive when cor- respondents and writers for the press will no longer ﬁll their articles ‘with such abbrevia- tions as “Sect.” for secretary, “ Pres.” for president, “o’clk.” for o’clock and the like? when they will not interlard their sentences with nondescript hieroglyphics which they think answer for punctuation, but which are as meaningless to the typographical eye as an inscription from the Moabite stone P when will they not underscore every third word under the mistaken notion that the italic fronts of type are as large as the Roman? It is ordin- arily easier for the journalist to copy a piece of manuscript than attempt to edit that fur- nished by those unaccustomed to write for the press. And yet the only directions to be fol- lowed are the simplest : to let the manuscript alone after putting down the words needed to express the meaning. As for not writing on bot.h sides of the paper, we despair of ever beating that into the heads of correspon- dents.” Materialism. _ The inﬂuence of Spiritualism, and its wide- spread action, is, indeed, one of the wonders of the nineteenth century. And, while it is a fulﬁllment of past predictions, it is also a prophecy that the face of modern civilization will undergo a change. I Several years (about 1843) before the ad- vent of the “ rappings,” I heard the following prophecy uttered: “ That which you have witnessed (Spiritualism on a small scale among the Shakers, will break forth among the world.” This prophecy struck me with much force, for I saw in its fulﬁllment, revo- lutionary results. It has been, and is being fulﬁlled to an overﬂow beyond measure. The mission of Spiritualism thus far has been to arrest materialism, and to disintegrate old organizations and ideas. All attempts by spiritualists to organize, have made bad worse. In the present phase of Spiritualism, there also is a prophecy, namely: “ That as a wave of spiritual light has reached rudimental humanity, so it will be succeeded by a wave of light and warmth combined, producing re- ligious conviction, which, in its results, will be organizing. The elements with which to organize are plentifully strewn all over the realms of sentiment and intelligence. Promi- nently among these will ,be new 1'eligious formations ; the organization of labor, and its results; physiological matters, referring them- selves to the right use of the generative and nutritive functions. Also, governmental adaptations, taking cognizance of property in, and the distribution of, land, with the aboli- tion of usury.* Getting into debt makes a man a slave; and taking usury makes a man a robber, abstractly. Quietly standing amid the din of human thought, is the Shaker form of human social life——“_not numbered with‘ the nations”——-a Peak, isolated and alone. Its foundations not resting on mere human animal emotions, but on their denial, as a substratum, to be overlaid with human- divine emotions, as a new base of action. Human reproductive emotions are the foun- dations of all forms of social life; domestic happiness and embroilments rest there also. Hence the wisdom of watching the heart, the emotions—with all diligence——for out of them are the issues of hate and war, as well as of love and peace. One of the prominent sentiments of society at present is in the direction of a permanent amelioration and elevation of humanity as a whole. Governments that rule by might and power, force and fraud, as do lions and tigers, are less and less acceptable. The power to obtain and possess wealth, by merely lending *The law of Moses required an equal division of the land to the Jewish people. It also made provision for such of them as might be too poor to cultivate their lots, for it, in the name of God of Israel, called upon the more Wealthy of the people to give, or lend, to their poor brethren all they might be in need of for that purpose, without asking or receiving either usury or 2'.n.crease. And, moreover, if (through poverty or misfortune) any of the poor were unable to discharge the debt before the end of the sixtlf year, they were, in the serenth (or Sabbatical year) to be freely and entirely liberated from all and every demand of their creditors. What a brilliant contrast is herein presented be- tween the ilfosmfcrzl and the (as it is very improperly called) “ Ch/rz'sI’ian” modes of providing the means of subsistence for the poor! money without creating any wealth, is too palpably iniquitous to be recognized under any othendenomination than that of Satanic. The antagonism between the accumulated products of labor and the laborer, shows such a devia- tion from the rule of right as justiﬁes an as- sertion to which I have to plead guilty, “That humanity is now comparatively in hell.” All over Christendom war establish- ments exist to kill and destroy, associated with extensive efforts, at home and abroad, to preach a gospel of peace, mercy and love, which is comparatively heaven yet. This is so outrageous and unnatural a mixture, that there can be no wonder in truthful men and women spurning with contempt such a com- bination, and looking elsewhere than to the meeting-house or the churches for hope and peace. Such a state of things so long con- tinued has brought forth the inﬁdel dogmatic materialist. He is the product of the absence of the divine in “ the powers that be,” coupled with doings which violate the common sense, as well as the higher instincts of humanity. That form of materialism which ignored spiritual facts is to me the most’ illogical of all isms, because spiritual entities and their forces are the most material of all things,’ and are eternally manifesting themselves in tan- gible creations or effects. Our world is a world of effects modiﬁed by conditions; the unseen world is the world of causes-—of spiritual intelligent forces. The most repug- nant form of materialism is found in a pray- ing, ﬁghting, singing Christianity. To all doubters I would say, “ Doubt, but be honest ;” yet, do not allow doubting to make ruts, lest the wheels of progress should get bemired, and new and open ground could not be reached. ‘ ' A few days ago a person said to me, “ I am amaterialist; what my ﬁve senses can take cognizance of, I can believe.” He then began to decry Spiritualism as a humbug. To prove it so, he and some friends formed a circle, and the table began to move; abulky person placed himself on the table, and still the table moved. His idea is, that the force that moved the table was conﬁned to those in the body. I then began to analyze and illustrate somewhat as follows: It was not the bodies of those who formed the circle that moved the table, but an unseen impalpable force in pos session of the circle. I then drew his atten- tion to the indubitable evidences of spirit en- tity. I asked him if he ever had seen a dead spirit? implying, that as spirits in the body (taking him on his own ground), being in possession of an unseen impalpable force, when out of the body, would not be destitute of the same attribute. Spirit is force organ- ized. Force is eternal, and that power which renders force subservient to intelligent Will, could not be less than eternal. He related the following : “ He had a friend engaged in carrying (by water) butter to market. At a distance of more than a hun- dred miles, he saw his friend’s vessel go to pieces ; in a few days he had a letter inform- ing him of the loss. I remarked that he was in possession of another sense in addition to the ﬁve.” lllli IE "I iﬁ. ill iii ..—»Ii- ‘ i"ii......,._ » _RL 86 THE SHAKER. A person well known and of good standing among his friends, had spent the best part of his life an invulnerable materialist; and had shown his great devotion to truth by much doubting. This, with its associate cavilmg, had made some ruts in his mind. Spiritual- ism came in his way—in his family, if I don’t mistake. On its appearance, he met it with his old tactics; but the manifestations came so thick and strong that the old ruts caved in, and he appeared in print, declaring his con- version and adhesion to the truth of disem- bodied spirit-entity. Robert Owen, the social reformer and materialist, was met in the same way, and with the dignity of a true man, and the simplicity of a child, he accepted Spirit- ualism as a substantial reality. The many proofs of spirit-entity have so thinned the ranks of the whole class of ‘earthly materialists, that a corporal’s guard is about all that is left of them. One fact.dissipates the whole fabric of their doubts and negations. I consider anti-religious materialism as only a. passing phase of abnormal spirit-life, in- duced (as above stated) by long-continued outrages. against the common sense and higher instincts of humanity which, by its love of truth, has providentially operated to destroy the system that gave it birth, a sys- tem falsely called “Christian,” but which (its professions and practices considered) is really the most Satanic the world has ever beheld. I have been asked, “What is your idea of God P” Upon this subject I have but few words to offer. I am capable of thought and of organizing thoughts, and of manifest- ing them in external forms. I am child enough to believe that I had a father and a mother; and that there is a Great Central Father and Mother of us all, who are capable of thought, and of organizing thoughts, even as I am, and of manifesting those thoughts by creations so grand and good, as to impress me with wonder, admiration and awe. They are not far from any one of us. I will follow on to know them. I am thankful for the “express image” of their Divineattributes, as manifested through their ﬁrst-born Son and Daughter from the human family—Jesus of Nazareth, and Ann of Manchester, which manifestation, with in- crease, is still continued through their succes- sors in Christ—the Shaker Church, of their own establishing. These I will follow, to them I will gather, as to the properly anointed Shepherds of those whom Jesus Christ designated a “little ﬂock.” " “ Come !” and (with me) learn of them, for they are “meek and lowly in heart.” They seek not their own but others’ welfare. DANIEL FRASER, Mt. Lebanon, N. Y. “ Virtue‘ alone is Happiness Below.” And, of course, the more perfect the virtue the more perfect the happiness. Self-indulgence is not virtue. Virtue is selt‘-denial--“ the narrow way that leadeth unto lil'e”—l1appiness. Vice is sell‘-indulgence, gratiﬁcation-—“the broad road that leadeth unto death"~$1nhappiness. Norma UNION, O. Consectatien, According to \Vebster, means “devoted to sacred uses.’ ’ Letﬁus consider this important subject. \Ve, as members of the Society of Believers, have covenanted to consccrate our all to the upbuilding of the principles of Zion. This is a weighty obligation ! It signiﬁes oir willingness to sacriﬁce our Worldly inclina- tions, and yield obedience to a visible lead. These cannot be accomplished by following our own inclinations, unless these are consecrated and ratiﬁed by the Church. If I say I am consecrated, yet claim the right to dispose of my services as I think proper, I give the lie to my profession, for I have solemnly agreed to yield myself obediently to a visible Lead, and . failing to do so destroys my avowal of conse- cration. - No matter how talented an individual may be, if not consecrated, he may be the means of great discord, and the cause of S'ociety’s failure of blessing. Consecrated truly, will be the devotion of our all for the beneﬁt of mankind, having no selﬁsh objects in view, no personal desires to gratify ; looking not for any reward, other than an approving conscience; standing ﬁrm for the cause of truth and justice ; devoted to the right because it is right. Then are we truly consecrated. G. B. PRICE, Shakers, N. Y. Angel’s Call. Hear the voice of Angel spirits Calling loudly unto all, "Come up higher—Come away from Sinful acts by Adam's fall. _ “ Leave behind all works of darkness-— Leave a life of sin and woel Live to God—-live pure and holy, \Vhile upon this earth below. “ God's right arm will guide you yonder, Far above earth's pleasures vain, Whex'e pure joys, substantial, holy, With you cvermore remain. “ Then let all be found advancing- Toiling with a heart and will ; Laying waste the haunts of cvil, And the Oil of Love distill.” Snaxrzns, N. Y. ANN BUCKINGHAM. Truth’s Mission. All hail with joy the blessed day, That gospel truth may wing its way O’cr this heaven-favored land of ours, To aid the s0ul’s expanding powers. 0, mayit enter every heart, And quenchless light and faith impart; Until the kingdom here shall come, To be the humble seeker's home. 0, Gospel, gentle as a dove, Thine olive branch of peace and love Shall guide the weary travclcr’s feet, Through ﬁelds where hostile armies meet. For in ea1jth’sﬁeld of toil and strife, The soul that seeks the higher life VVill, by thy talismanic charm, Be kept secure from every harm. Thou art the very Source of Truth,—- A lamp alike to age and youth,-— From each polluting thing a shield, For all in thee, to God are scaled. Bright Gospel, let thy glory roll In thunder tones from pole to pole; And wake the slumbering ones of earth, To struggle for the heavenly birth. Yea, cast the veil of night aside, And break the bands of sin and pride ; Unto the sorrowing race of man Reveal B€llVatl0l1"S lowly plan. L. A. WooDwAnD, Whitewater, O. The Omnipresence of Deity. Alas, how weak, short-sighted, and incon- sistent are we! We may say we feel the power of God within us, but would be shocked to hear one say, “ I feel God within me.” It will do very well to say that no "soul can be saved without the operation and indwelling of the spirit of God; we should be startled to hear one say he could not be saved without the indwelling of God in his soul. So, we hesitate not to admit that God is Onmipotent —Almighty, but we can scarcely grant the pos- sibility of his ubiquity. We must ﬁx him a local habitation, give him a form, and take from him Inﬁnity. Nevertheless, we may be assured that wherever the power of God is felt or perceived, there is the 'God of Power, since it is as absurd to suppose the power of God without God, as to suppose God without power. VVhere the spirit of God is, there is God, for God is spirit; and it would be as absurd to suppose the Spirit of God without God, as to suppose God without Spirit. It is a mere ﬁgment of the fancy to suppose that the Spirit of God is something distinct from God, and is as absurd as to consider the mind or spirit of man something distinct from man. The phrase, “Spirit of God,” may be deﬁned as God’s inﬂuence, and it is mostly applied to the manifestation of Divine power in individual- ized being—-an inspirational saving inﬂuence of God in the soul of man. As to the Omni- presence of God, which is so much more diffi- cult for some to perceive than his Omnipotence, it will be found that the latter cannot be rationally conceived to exist without the former. It must be admitted that where God is there is power, and because his presence is inﬁnite, his power must also be inﬁnite; and it is for this very reason that his power is inﬁnite, because he is everywhere, there ready to do what he sees should be done. “ The eye of the Lord is in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Prov. xv., 3.) Again, His Omniscience can no more be rationally admitted Without supposing his Omnipresence, than can his Omnipotence. Inasmuch as he is everywhere present, he in every place sees and knows all that exists or takes place, and happy is he who believes that nothing, the most minute, can take place without, at least, his notice. “ The very hairs of your head,” said Jesus, “ are all numbered, and not one of them falls to the ground without your Heavenly Father’s notice-—not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father.” How could he have taught the ubiquity of God in stronger language? How, more clearly and cogently, could he have set forth the inﬁnity of his power and providence, his goodness and govern- ment even in the most minute things ? Happy are they who heartily and habitually believe in this Omnipresence and inﬁnite goodness of God, the Heavenly Father and Mother, and who are reconciled to everything which He permits; who see his footsteps in every thing Without them, and feel Him “ working within them to will and to do of his own good pleasure,” being conscious that they are daily and faithful co-workers with him. By Father and Mother, I do not mean two distinct persons or beings in Deity,'but that in the one THE ‘SHAKER. 87 Inﬁnite Spirit or Divine Essence, there exists the attributes of Father and Mother, just as! much the one as the other. But Father and Mother are the names of relations, not of essences, and belong to that class of things which logicians call accidents. They are acci- dental qualities or titles. This by-the-by. VVe will proceed with our main subject, the Omnipresence. If it is diﬂicult to conceive the ubiquity of Deity, how shall we comprehend his eternity? How shall we grasp the tre- mendous thought that “ He inhabiteth eter- nity !” (Isa. lvii., 15)-——that all time, allbeing, and all possible events, past, present, and to come, are alike intimately present with ‘him, so that he “inhabits,” dwells in, and compre- hends the whole as fully and clearly as the least iparts—-that, as he inhabits and ﬁlls inﬁ- nite space, so he as perfectly inhabits and comprehends the whole inﬁnite duration? Yet all this is but a faint and inadequate idea of his inﬁnity. Our ideas on this subject must always be imperfect, and can only amount to this, that after extending them to the utmost bounds of thought on every-side, there is still something to be added—an inﬁnity of greatness and glory beyond, that a ﬁnite mind can never reach. Yet even such inadequate thoughts of Deity are proﬁtable and consoling, when we consider that this incomprehensible inﬁnity of power and goodness stands pledged for the protection and ﬁnal happiness of all who put their trust in him and obey his laws. Into what insigniﬁcance and nothingness we little worms do sink, with all our boasted greatness! Surely, if God Were anything less than inﬁnite we should be entirely overlooked. But while the thought of his inﬁnity humbles us in the dust, it consolingly assures us that we cannot exist without his special notice and regard. For if we should conceive of the least animalcule or atom existing somewhere in the universe out of the reach of his knowledge and notice, we should instantly destroy the idea of his inﬁnity, yea, of his existence, because if one animalcule or atom can exist without his creative and sustaining power, thousands more —yea, all the animals and atoms in the universe can exist without him! Thus, the necessity of God’s inﬁnity rests on the same foundation as that of his existence, and we cannot overturn one without destroying the other. R. W. PELHAM. SIIAKERISM is a desperate remedy for a des- perate disease. It is radical, certainly, and it is a question whether any less radical measure can meet the appalling character of the pas- sions, as they appear in the unvarnished manifestations of every day life. But whether it be a ﬁnality or not, it is manifest that there can scarcely be even a decent degree of saint- liness till men and women are able to live a celibate life, so long as duty, inspiration or reason shall dictate. If there be a possibility of living out a partial aﬁiliation of fraternal love and sexual passion, without the Qast iron rules imposed by monogamic marriage and the Shaker brotherhood, the road to it lies through Shaker grounds, at least.—New Campaign. To the Juvenile Class. Childhood, Youth, Zllrmhood, and Old ﬂge are analogous to the seasons. The human heart represents the soil. Childhood is the spring time of life. Then is the proper time to prepare the mind and heart to receive the seeds of truth, such as Honesty, Chastity, Meekness and Love. The heart, like the earth, contains seeds or germs that would grow spon- taneously and bring forth fruit ; but an enemy has infused poison into the soil, and sowed seeds there that are not pure and good, and, if left to grow,w0uld produce wild and bitter fruit, if not decidedly poisonous, and they are un- worthy to occupy a place in such a beautiful garden as the human heart should be. Hence the necessity for commencing early to plow deep, that we mayupturn the soil andidestroy any vile Weed that may already have taken root there. Some young persons cling with great tenacity to those plants which spring spontaneously from the heart, because they are pleasant to the eye and sweet to the taste, and are not very bad. But, if wise, we shall seek the best—-the very best. There is only so much soil, and we can ill—aﬁ‘ord space, even for the indifferent. If young minds would only decide upon one point, i. e., that they will always relinquish the inferior for the superior, and welcome the hand of the cultivator to pass over them, and pluck up and cut down every- thing but the_useful and the good, then, through the medium and by the help of those instru- ments which the great Husbandman of souls has provided, together with the action of the spiritual and divine elements, wind, rain, dews and sunshine, every good plant will ﬂourish and grow, and yield its increase a hundred fold. And, like the industrious tiller of the material soil, such will gather with a prudent hand all the choice fruits in their season—natural and spiritual truths——in science and religion, and store the mind with all useful knowledge per- taining to the life that is present and future, and cause the reason and conscience tg be co- workers in gathering all that is virtuous, good, and true into the mind and heart. And when spring, summer and autumn have passed, and the inﬁrmities of age creep upon them, they will be able to wrap themselves in a mantle of truth which they have woven, and feast upon the fruits of their labors, until an angel mes- senger is sent with his chariot to convey their spirits home. Then they can lie down upon their couch and be gathered in peace to their spiritual fathers and mothers, to feast upon the fruits of their toil in the bright summer land, where the wintry winds can never reach them more. The change from the terrestrial to the celestial spheres will be a source of joy, not of sorrow and sadness, to those who have well- performed all the duties pertaining to the rudi- mentary sphere of existence._ The death-sting is taken away, and the grave can have no victory over the heart where nought but true plants have been cultivated, and which will continue their growth, and bear fruit in the immortal land. Love-angels stand ready to extend the hand of welcome to such, and to offer the meed “well done, enter ‘into rest.” But rest does not imply inaction. The highest order of angels work. An approving conscience in reference to the past will stimulate to future action in the life and real home of the soul, which is beyond the shadowy vale of time. My young friends, you are now in the spring- time of life. What is to be your future course of action? Will you seek to satisfy the emotional feelings which so often crave present pleasure, at the expense of principle, and thus produce the Wild ﬂowers and plants of nature at the expense of the good and the true—- blight the ﬁner feelings, and desecrate the soil of your hearts ? Or, will you choose the better part, and cultivate in your hearts innocence, purity, child-like simplicity, and every other virtue that will ﬁt you to be companions of angels in spheres above? . In the celestial garden, immortal ﬂowers are blooming of the fairest, richest hue, and they send forth a sweet perfume. It is the work of the angels. They sow, and they reap What they sow. They plant vineyards, andieat the fruit of the vine. The blight, nor the canker- worm does not reach that clinic, for there law is not broken, and sin is not known. Life in God. Men are hunting for God, seriously looking after a physical being who will compare with their pre—conceived opinions of a Supreme Being; by continuing the search, they will certainly come up somewhere, perhaps among the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, or Romans, for they had gods many. The holy Saviour said, “God is spirit, and they that worship him must Worship in spirit.” Again, “ no man hath seen God at any time,” for the simple reason that he cannot be seen by the natural eye. We may see and feel the agency of God in our fellow beings, where he is manifest for salvation; we judge of good men, who are intellectually enlightened, by their actions-— those who see, know, speak, and act the truth. God is truth. _ Every work of God is founded on truth, and the continued growth in truth is a positive test that the work is divine; the man of God is thus manifested to the world. In the Lord Jesus was God manifest, in ﬂesh or humanity; so in his faithful followers, the apostles, and thus in every pious man or woman in his or her degree. God is justice, and is manifested in every just person, whose life is a continued exempli- ﬁcation of the divine attribute. God is love, and whenever and wherever love ﬂows into our souls direct, it is God, and from the brethren and sisters, it is God ﬂowing ' through his children to each other—-in fact, love is the permeating and pervading, and all- uniting bond of the universe. God is wisdom, as seen in all his plans and works ; for the universe of organized mind and‘ matter is planned and executed with the most consummate skill and intelligence. God is power, the motive power of the worlds without end; this force of the Almighty is continually in operation, carrying forward the universal machinery; without this inﬁnite and continued propelling force, the whole would cease action. Growth, of every description, comes under 88 THE SHAKER the same supervision and law of love, in the development and maturation of all plants, and their continuation and perfection by the im- mutable'laws of increase. To sum up, the‘ whole, both animate and inanimate, the plan, the execution, and con- tinuation of the vast expanse, all are of our Heavenly Parents! It will not do to talk of inherent principles, for principles are only the emanations of the Godhead, and of themselves they are simply a nullity-— without the creative Original, a blank. ’ If man is carelessly curious to see God, and will not be satisﬁed to believe that he is, because of his intangibility, as an ocular demon- stration, let us ask him to make some experi- ments on himself. He is moved by spirit or intelligence ; has he ever had ocular demonstra- tion of his own powers of thought? Can he inform us of the mode, of the wonder- ful Working of the machinery in the production of his ideas, and his continuous faculties on the complications of mind and matter? Man is said to be a microcosm of the World, of the solar system, and of the universe. In him there is a center, or focus of thought; the Whole body is moved and controlled by the nerves connected with the power of thought, and extending to the extremities of the animal machinery. Also, the mind has the power of self-control ; the whole economy of body and mind is moved by the central controlling inﬂu- ence-—intelligence and love. Looking at the solar system, we see the sun himself, with his deputed power, in the center of the dependent orbs, controlling and carrying them with him in his unceasing cycles; this system is in concatenation with another, and it again has its joining; and so, by analogy, the whole universe is joined to the Empyrean of the Eternal; the center-the God-home of intelligence and love! Around this eternal center—the Empyrean-— revolve the whole universe of mind and matter, and from this inexhaustible sour-ce radiatelaw, life, love, and intelligence to the whole creation. God governs the universe of matter by ﬁxed and inherent laws; the universe of mind by agency of ministering spirits. And if We may be allowed and permitted the ﬁgure of speech, by way of illustration: to the Empyreal battery are connected all the ethereal telegraph wires which send the divine intelligence to the innumerable hosts of intelli- gent beings, from the highest archangel down through the conjoined precincts, with their kingdoms and families, to our earth, peradven- ture, near the very verge of intelligence. WM. REDMON. Life is like a ﬂower bed, in which thorns and roses grow promiscnously. Wisdom alone teaches us to gather one and refuse the other. The great test of true friendship is constancy in the hour of danger, and adherence in the season of dis- tress. A mind well trained and long exercised in virtue, does not easily change any course it once undertakes. Stereoscopic Views of Shaker villages—l\It. Le- banon, Watervliet, N. Y., and Hancock, Mass, can be obtained of James Irving, Troy, or at this oﬂiee, 32.50 per doz. Be Encouraged. Wlien dark spirits, round us stealing, Storm the castle of our heart, Let us, to our faith appealing, Bid them, in God’s name, depart! Why, with clouds dark o'er us rolling, Veil the radiance of our sky, While bright angels, ’round us calling, Come with sunshine from on high I All above, around, is beauty, Sun by day and stars by night; Happiness our only duty, And in God our sole delight. Every pulse that beats to heaven, Every thought attuned to prayer, Every tear to pity given, Is a crown of glory there. There each stream is music ﬂowing, And each breeze is melody, Heart to heart in union growing, Soul to soul in purity. See the golden chain ascending, Joining earth to heaven above ; _See bright glories with it blending, And its links all formed of love. E. T. LEGGETT, Union Village. Freedom. What is Freedom and Where is it to be found? Our» fathers fought for freedom. We in- herited it; are said to be the free-born sons and_ daughters‘ of America. We certainly are inspired with a love for freedom, and conse- quently have acquired a strong detestation of bondage. But liberty, true liberty, is not at- tained by the sword. Though our country may boast of freedom, yet are the people free ? Are they not fettered down to earth by pas- sion, pride, envy, revenge, and evils too numer- ous to mention? Can we boast of liberty when we are not able to govern ourselves? Jesus said : “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Cowper, in some of his inspired writings, says: “ He is a free man whom the truth makes free, and all are slaves beside.” This has been a subject I have considered attentively from my youth up. It seems really lamentable that in these professedly free United States, after the strugglelthere has been to emancipate slavery, that it should still exist in our midst, wherein all might and should be free. I hate slavery. I read in one of my school books, words like these : “'And even now in some parts of united America, Women are but little better than slaves.” How shocking! And again : “ Man tarnishes his name and brightens it again; but if woman chance to swerve from the strictest rules of virtue, “ Ruin ensues reproach and endless shame, And one false step forever blasts her fame; In vain with tears the loss she may deplore, In vain look back to what she was before, She sets like stars that fall to rise no more." Is this right? I think not. It is not so in Christ’s kingdom. Jesus said: “He that is without sin, let him ﬁrst cast a stone.” And to the woman : “ Go and sin no more.” Ifit is so in the kingdom of this world, I do not blame the women for wanting more rights. Certainly all now have a right not to tarnish their name ; and I would that they all had the grace and dignity not to do it. I am sensible that I live in a very enlightened age and country, and do feel a strong sympathy with those of my sex who would be glad to live lives of purity, if they could ﬁnd the requisite protection. I believe there are many reﬁned Iyoung females who would wish to live virtu- ous lives devoted to God, if they knew of a way. To all such I would say there is an asylum—-—I have found it, and have for many years breathed its pure air free from all con- taminating inﬂuences, surrounded by dear brethren and sisters who are ever willing to strengthen and encourage, not draw down, and back, but onward and upward. This haven, and this relation, THE SHAKER. will point you to. ’ LAURA A. PRENTISS. Obituaries. Henrietta Beal, at Shirley . . . . . . . . . ..Aug. 10 aged 17 Sarah Blanchard, at Harvard . . . . . . . .Sept. 21 “ 65 Mary Fosgate, at Harvard. . . . . . . . . .Sept. 28 “ 81 Margaret Keamer, at Mt. Lebanon . .Oct. 6 “ 41 Caroline Ulrich, at Watervliet. . . . . .Oct. 8 “ 20 Anna Smith, at Mt. Lebanon . . . . . . ..Oct. 10 “ 75 THE SHAKER.-—ThlS is the title of an able periodical, published monthly at Albany, N. Y., under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric of Shakers, and in the interests of that interesting people. While almost every other sect and ism in the United States h-as its organ, it was only last January that the Shakers established one of their own for the ﬁrst time, and it was done in response to the urgent demands of the friends of reform, that they should give their ideas of life and happi- ness as viewed from the Shaker platform. The world at large is somewhat cognizant of the life and practice of the Shakers, but are almost entirely ignorant of their principles and doctrines. “ The Shaker ” gives informa- tion upon all these points, and is a very inter- esting paper to every inquiring mind. Fifty cents per annum. Address G. A.°Lomas. —Spring_ﬁeld (Mass.) Union. MEMBERS OF SOCIETY ﬂppointeol to answer Correspondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. Elder F. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, N. Y. Calvin G. Reed, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. Simon Mabee, ‘Vest Pittsﬁeld, Mass. Stoughton Kellog , Thompsonville, Conn., Shakers. Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Mass. . Wm. Leonard, Ayer, Mass., Shakers. '_‘ John Whiteley, Shirley Village, Middlesex Co., Mass. Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. Henry Cummings, Enﬁeld, Grafton Co., N. H. John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. Alonzo Gilman, West Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Me., Shakers. Chas. Clapp, Union Village, VVarren Co., 0., Shakers. Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers, Ohio. Jacob Kulp, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. PUBLICATIONS. Christ’s First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 Dunlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church - - - - - - 1 00 Compendium of Shakerism - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests - - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0111
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 01, no. 12 (December 1871)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1871-12-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: “ IWILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I VVILL FILL THIS IIOUSE VVITII GLORY, SAITH THE LORD.” and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. Published Monthly, by, Von. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., DECEMBER, 1871. No. 12. Love and Fire. Religious revivals are the resultant of the love of God toward humanity. Love is ﬁre, in its ultimate inearnated. “ God and this makes God a consum- “I am a is love ;” ing ﬁre through jealousy. jealous God,” hating idolatry and adul- tery above all things, and always operating to destroy the idols as Abraham destroyed the images of gods and goddesses, which his father made his living by creating. Christendom is “full of idols;” conse- quently, when the righteous in a city pray to God, as Lot did in Sodom, they are praying for the destruction of that city, unless timely repentance—-a turning from idolatry—averts it. As Jefferson aﬁirms, all great cities are the cancers of the nation; being produced by false ...
Show more“ IWILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I VVILL FILL THIS IIOUSE VVITII GLORY, SAITH THE LORD.” and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishopric. Published Monthly, by, Von. I. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., DECEMBER, 1871. No. 12. Love and Fire. Religious revivals are the resultant of the love of God toward humanity. Love is ﬁre, in its ultimate inearnated. “ God and this makes God a consum- “I am a is love ;” ing ﬁre through jealousy. jealous God,” hating idolatry and adul- tery above all things, and always operating to destroy the idols as Abraham destroyed the images of gods and goddesses, which his father made his living by creating. Christendom is “full of idols;” conse- quently, when the righteous in a city pray to God, as Lot did in Sodom, they are praying for the destruction of that city, unless timely repentance—-a turning from idolatry—averts it. As Jefferson aﬁirms, all great cities are the cancers of the nation; being produced by false organic laws, permitting the monopoly of life ele- ments, and destroying the taste of the people ‘for rural pursuits——agrieulture in its various branches—it is merely a matter of time when such a city as London will be destroyed, and by what agency. VVe may hope that it will be through the soil of England being returned to its owners, the people; and that the soil will allure the people from London, leaving it, like Babylon, to “the owls and bitterns ;” for the prophecy of desolation upon that city is as applicable to all cities as it was to Babylon. The fact that a certain city is destroyed, does not prove that its wickedness exceeded “‘above all other cities,” but that it was more ripe, and that the love of God was towards it in an especial manner; and that as it has perished, so likewise will all other cities perish, unless their inhabitants repent. Under the law of “the co-relation of forces,” the love of God may be trans- formed into material ﬁre, sweeping away, as in a moment, the accumulated labors of many generations, who had not wrought in God sufficient to preserve “ their works.” Not that there was no go0d——no religion—— nor yet that there was no natural ﬁre to begin the conﬂagration at Chicago. In Rev. 9:23, “ Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out and blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people, and there came a ﬁre out from before the Lord and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat, which when all the people saw, they shouted and fell on their faces.” In this case, there was no physical ﬁre as a nucleus; but when “Nadab and Abhiu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer and put ﬁre therein, and put incense thereon, and thus offered strange ﬁre before the Lord—“natural ﬁre ”—whieh he com- manded them not, “there went out ﬁre from the Lord, and devoured them,'and they died before the Lord.” They lacked faith as spiritualists. How far, and to what extent, do the modern priesthood offer strange ﬁre, when they offer their gifts——sparks of their own kindling—-eloquent prayers, and learned essays——-ﬁres of ambition, impelled by the love of self——in place of the true spiritual gifts of the primitive church? Will they not, one of these days, originate a conﬂa- gration that will burn up them and their Works? In Ist Kings, 18:34, Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “ Call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call upon the Lord; and the god that answercth by ﬁre, let him be God; and all the people answered and said: it is well spoken.” “ They, the priests of Baal, took‘ the hul- lock which was given to them, and dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning till noon, saying, 0 Baal, hear us l But there was no voice, nor any that answered; and Elijah mocked them, say- ing: Cry aloud; for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is on a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves with knives as was their manner, till the blood gushed out-, but with no avail. \Vhen it came Elijal1’s turn, they ﬁlled four barrels with water three several times, and poured it upon the burnt sacriﬁce and the Wood, and the ﬁre of the Lord fell, and no.t only con- sumed the burnt sacriﬁce, but, as in Chi- cago, it burnt “the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” And the people said: “ The Lord, be is the God; the Lord, he is the God;” and the unspiritual prophets were themselves destroyed. This descent of ﬁre frequently occurred during the his- tory of the Jewish nation. would not injure the righteous any more than water would injure ﬁsh. “VVho amongst us,” Isaiah inquired, “ will dwell with the devouring ﬁre? VVho shall dwell with everlasting burnings? The Lord descended upon Mount Sinai in ﬁre, and the people were afraid because of the ﬁre, and said: Let us not see this great ﬁre any more.” In Numbers, 35, after the earth had swallowed up the houses and all the men that pertained unto Cora, with their goods, “ there came out ﬁre from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and ﬁfty men that offered incense.” But, of all the prophets of Israel, none exceeded Elijah as a medium of spiritual power over the material elements. I 2 Kings i: The king sent a captain and ﬁfty men, to bring Elijah down from the top of a hill on which he sat. Approaching, the captain said (mockingly), “ Thou man of God, the king hath said come down ;” and Elijah answered: If I be a. man of God, then let ﬁre come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy ﬁfty; and there came down ﬁre from heaven, and con- sumed him and his ﬁfty. And when a second captain and ﬁfty was sent, being a little afraid, he said: “0 man of God, thus bath the king said: ‘ Come down quickly.’ ” Again the prophet called for ﬁre to consume them, and the ﬁre of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his ﬁfty. And the captain of the third ﬁfty was sent, and went up, and, like the Egyptians, being thoroughly con- verted to a belief in Spiritualism, fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said to him, “C man of God, I pray thee let my life, and the life of these ﬁfty, thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Behold there came ﬁre down from heaven and burnt up the two captains of the for- mer ﬁfties, with their ﬁfties, therefore let my life be precious in thy sight.” This humble and candid confession showed that the ﬁre of the Lord was going back from whence it came, towards the interior of things. It had burnt up unbelief in the This ﬁre 90 TI-IE SHAKER. captain’s soul, and become again a spiritual ﬁre of faith and zeal towards God. The angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, “ Go down with him." The ﬁre had reached the soul of the king also; and “Elijah said to him: Thou hast sent messages to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron; therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. So the king died, and Elijah was not injured. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven,” from whence the ﬁre came. It was not his body that went up, but his soul and spirit that had already ascended into the heaven—the paradise of the Jews. Thus did Elijah subdue military power by Spiritualism, according to the true design of the Mosaic dispensation, where the war power was transferred from the physical to the lower sphere of the spiritual world. It is on this wise that war will be abolished, and the millenium inaugurated, in which the nations shall cease to learn andvpractice it any more. In that epoch, the male and female will be equally repre- sented in the earthly government, which will become the image of the government of the universe. War Raised One Step Higher. The Christ Spirit, with which Jesus was baptized, converted and convicted him ﬁrst from the Jewish plan of war—the application of physical force——by means of which, he. cleansed the temple of the commercial people who were trading and traflicking under -a cloak of religion, call- ing them “ thieves and robbers,” who were desccrating the house of prayer. This was one step upwards. “ The zeal of the Lord’s house had eaten him up.” Furthertravail prepared him for another step; so that when a. village of the Sama- ritans refused to receive him and his dis- ciples, because his face was set as though he would go to Jerusalem, with whose inhabitants they held no social communion, James and John said: “Lord, wilt thou command ﬁre to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and said : “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of,” in respect to the spirit and prac- tice of war. Ye are good Jews, after the pattern of Elijah; but are not yet con- verted to Christianity, which will save you from destroying your enemies even by spiritual agencies, and even when they are heretics, and have refused to receive and entertain the Son of Man, having turned their backs upon the kingdom of heaven, which had come nigh unto them. “For the Son of Man has not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them, both body and soul, provided they will obey the truth.” This obedience will never be secured, except through a baptism of ﬁre and love, which shall create. as at pentecost, a genuine spiritualistic, reli- F. W. EVANS. gious revival. Shaker Iconoclasm. While millions are seeking their heavens in the indulgences of perverted passions, We are called to work ours out by severe chustisenicnt of our affections for sinful 1usl.s—by rigid self-denial to all that en- genders worldly ambition or selﬁsh aggramlizement. After tlmusumls of years’ activity in the habitual practices of war, marriage, private property; ofcar- nal desires, and the gratification of those desires by our ancestors; we are commanded to turn back the tide of nature, and build the foundations of a new str-u.ctm'e, that condescends not to the use ofa single material, good nor had, that constitutes the bulwarks of the old order oflifel Who, then, wonders at our persecution ? Who is surprised at the few who bear the ordeal and comply with the command? Or \vho Wonders at the worldly cry of the failure of S1I.u;EI:Is.\I, and the desires that it should fail, while it is inaking such devastation with worldly institu- tions? It has already proved itself a successful rc- gencrator; and what has been done by it, can with it be accomplished again. * I True Wealth. Be my mind a sacred treasury, ’Stored With gems and diamonds bright, Where no dross shall ever gather, That would dim their lustrous light. Garnered there the wealth of knowledge, Truth and Wisdom‘s golden sheaves, Richest fruits and fragrant ﬂowers, Not alone life's fading leaves. ‘Valle of sapphire form the chambers, By eternal Goodness made, I will ﬁll this heavenly structure \Vith the snnsnine. not the shade. I will hang it round with pictures, That shall give me joy to see. Not the imagery of (lemons, That would haunt and follow me. Like the ghosts in ancient story, Protcan forms of passions base, Sordid loves, and gross dcsircs—- These the temple would deface. Innocence and pure aﬂ'ectiou, Deeds in consecration wrought, Holy thoughts and aspirations, To this temple shall be brought. Germs of good my soul shall cherish, Spurn the false and prize the true, Look beyond the things that perish, Where bright glories rise to view. Brighter now appears the prospect, And the angel life is mine; Growth and progress are eternal, In the spheres of truth divine. luxnrna Asnnnsox, Mt. L. Christian Equality. “ Ye are all brethren." There is nothing in the teaching of Jesus Christ more apparent than the thorough and absolute change he purposed to effect in the lives of all those who should become his dis- ciples. This change had reference not only to the individual character of each, but also to the relations they were to sustain toward each other as a community of believers. He taught not only humility, in contradistinction to pride and vanity; gentleness, in opposition to an overbearing spirit; faith and patience, as ar- rayed against distrust and heart-consuming anxiety ; love to God and the neighbor instead of hatred; but a change in the fundamental condition of Society. In it there was to be neither noble nor plebeian, rich nor poor, bond nor free, as they had hitherto existed in all human societies, not excepting that established by Moses. Not only were these distinctions to find no place in the community of his fol- lowers, but even the titles, which were wont to foster the pride of those installed into any oﬂice among men, were to -be discarded. “ Be ye not called Rabbi, or Teacher, for one is your Teacher ; call no man your Father upon earth, for one is your Father.” There is but one simple relation to be Sustained among all the disciples of Christ, that of brethren, the children of one common, divine parentage. This teaching is thoroughly radical, and aims to eradicate a disposition that has had a con- trolling inﬂuence upon mankind for ages upon ages—that of exalting one’s self at the expense of others. It is not surprising that it has pro duced so little effect comparatively in the world, nor is it a cause of discouragement to one who- has studied the Divine method of working, that this doctrine was so soon abandoned by many of the professed teachers of Christ’s religion ; that the head of one of the divisionsinto which the church was split should be styled Papa, Pope, or Rather ; that the chief of another division should be called Patriarch, or Chief Father ; and that the teachers of other divisions should assume or accept the title of Doctor, which is simply another term for Rabbi. The Inﬁnite has an eternity in which to accomplish his plans. Nothing else was to be expected, when the professed disciples of Christ discarded his teachings in this respect, but that they should seek to justify their conduct ; nor is it a matter of Wonder that those who disallow his authority altogether should style him fanatic, because of his extreme doctrines. Chateaubriand, the celebrated defender of " the Church ” against the inﬁdels of his day, conscious that Jesus had uttered some radical sayings respecting equality, says : “ The Christian religion estab- lishes the doctrine of moral equality, the only kind which can be preached without overthrow- ing the world.” That is, to give his own ex- planation, Christian priests can remind the great ones of earth that they are made of no nobler dust than the plebeian,- which truth the priests of ancient Paganism did not dare to utter in the ears of a Nero ora Tiberias. This wonderful gain, then, has been made by Christianity over Paganism ! To preach more than this would be to overthrow thé world! But Christian equality, whenever practiced, does overthrow the World, and that is the very design of it. It banishes at once and forever all those distinctions created and fostered by human pride, Whether of ruler and subject, nobleman and vassal, or clergy and laity. It discards not only the secular titles, as they are called, of Emperor, King, Duke, etc., but eccle- siastical as wel1——Sovereign Pontiff, My Lord the Archbishop, or Bishop, being as open to Christ’s reprehcnsion as any other title. It puts an end to that selﬁsh abuse of God’s gifts, by which a few appropriate to themselves that which belongs to the many. It diffuses an abundance of everything needful among all without distinction. It establishes not merely What the French writer styled “ moral equality,” which still leaves the haughtiness of the haughty undisturbed; allows every distinction in Society which human pride has .\.;.._;\ L ~._n -. .-inn TI-IE SHAKER. 91 devised, together with every ‘display in dress, equipage and residence that tends to keep up those distinctions, but also actual equality, bringing the proud down to the position they should occupy, and raising the degraded to a "condition in which they may enjoy God’s It makes short work with everything that cnkindles wars or engenders strife of any kind. removing all the causes that lead_to them. It strikes a deadly blow at all pleasure, passions and lusts, Whose tendency is to weaken and destroy the physical, intel- lectual and spiritual man, and to introduce into the world of God’s creation whatever causes hatred, divisions, and moral disturbances. It not only brings society upon a level, but gives to the individual subject of it perpetual quiet of soul, “ It makes the rough paths of peevish nature even, And opens in each breast a little heaven.” greatest blessings. Christian equality, therefore, tends to over- throw both the great world that exists in the form of human tyranny and slavery, of in- equality in wealth and privileges everywhere prevalent, and the world of pride, ignorance, passion, lust, envy and hatred, and every ignoble thing that exists in the individual breast. In overthrowing these, however, it does not leave society in a state of chaos, nor the individual to float ruddetfiess over the dark ocean. Gradually it brings order out of con- fusion, dispels the darkness of the mental horizon, brings in the dawn with its resplendent colors, and ultimately diffuses everywhere the heart-cheering and invigorating light of the perfect day. VVhen the former heaven and earth have passed away, the Sons of God chant the anthem that celebrates the creation of the new; they sing of peace and love, of order, equality, and perpetual unanimity. Their melody inspires and ﬁlls the souls of all who constitute the family of heaven. ' WM. H. BUSSELL. Life in ‘God. The First Great Cause has deeply implanted in human souls the laws of righteousness, for the government of his children in their conduct towards each other; and in the revelation of His Divine will, these laws in the mind are conﬁrmed. The Saviour said: “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.” His whole life was a dedication to the laws of love and divine justice. In the laws of life, there is a ﬁtness, an ap- propriateness in human action; we will call this ﬁtness Justice. Human beings feel that they are entitled to be treated justly in all the transactions of life. Every one feels that he or she has an inherent right to the bounties of a kind Providence, and cannot feel satisﬁed when any of these rights are withheld or denied. Integrity in man will scrupulously allow all these rights to a fellow being ; not only allow, but bestow kind acts to aid his fellow man. In the wide domain of commerce, the man of integrity will make known the quality, age and condition of his produce, and regard in weight and measurement the same honesty. Every citizen should feel safety in person, character and property; uncertainty in these destroys our happiness. Each man should feel a concern for the life, character and pro- perty of his fellow man, not only to guard against casualties, but to render, in sickness or affliction, a kind and willing assistance. Common prudence should teach that We are all human beings, and, as such, may need the same kind attention; and that the human heart, full and running over, will be ready and desir- ous, under these generous impulses, to render back the measure more than full. The gifted and fortunate should voluntarily be guardians for their less-gifted and unfortunate fellow beings, and, in kindness, counsel them, show them, entreat them ; for they lack understand- ing of the conditions, proprieties, duties and dangers of life. Suffering mortality is beseech- ing, and must not be turned away empty. 0, for the compassion of the Christ spirit! To the young man or woman in nature, whose life is to begin as the future father or mother, these inquiries should arise: Do I start with integrity in every purpose and de- sign in this highest, earthly prerogative, to do the will of my heavenly parents, in perpetuat- ing my likeness and representative in time? Or, am I looking forward to scenes of volup- tuousness, irrespective of my call, obligations, or consequences ? Do I consider that life and death are set before me, and that I am account- able for the use of my endowments and for the consequent good or evil that may arise in my connection, through time, and for ages to come ? In the matrimonial union you have pledged yourselves to verity and integrity without reserve; and in keeping this solemn declaration in accordance with the laws of nature, depends your future fruitfulness and blessing. In the family relation must be instituted good government ; faithful obedience for the child, and religious, rational instruction for youth, all conducted in the spirit of the true Christian. A sacred veneration for God and His divine attribute, Truth, should be deeply planted in the juvenile mind. In the family mansion is laid the foundation of future govern- ment of state and nation; may it be laid on the basis of truth and obedience to law and order, for God works through these principles for the salvation of nations. Let us examine the inmost recesses of thought, for in the laboratory of the mind are manufactured the intentions, designs and con- summations of human existence. WM. REDMON. Are the Shakers Ascetics? In all ages, mankind have felt the desire to appease an offended Deity ; for men have erred since the early days of earth’s history, and consequently felt the sting of remorse and unhappiness, the natural result of violating God’s laws. And as most men will relent and forgive an injury, when approached humbly and sorrowfully by the offending party, so men, in their short-sighted conception of the Eternal, have thought to propitiate Him, and regain their own peace of mind, by vows and sacri- ﬁces, or the observance of an ascetic life. Others, again, stimulated, doubtless, by a pious longing after holiness and purity, proposed to subdue the inherent inclination to evil, and the inordinate desires of their minds, by seclusion, fasting, the recitation of long prayers, bodily torments, and the abjuration of every comfort or innocent pleasure! They are called Ascetics —persons who, secluded from the world, live a rigid and austere life, and employ their time mostly in devotions and mortiﬁcations. Are the Shakers Ascetics? This epithet is not un- commonly applied. Let us look at their every- day life, and thereby see whether the name “ Ascetics ” properly belongs to them. Do they live secluded from the world? De- cidedly they do, in a. certain sense. They claim to live in retirement from the world, in a life of self—discipline and preparation for a future state. There are no high, cloister walls around their buildings, and no dark courts lead to their dwellings; but God’s bright sunlight is invited everywhere, to cheer with its rays, this simple and unassuming people. The visitor or traveler will not ﬁnd the forbidding words, “ No admittance,” written on any of their gates or doors, but meets with a kind and hearty welcome, with an invitation to examine and judge for himself; while hardly a day passes by in which hundreds of strangers do not come through their farms and villages. The hermits of old retired from the world, and buried them- selves in the inaccessible wilderness, and many a weary and sad heart now, will retire behind the gloomy walls of a cloister. They were and are Ascetics. Are Shakers? They retire from the world so far as not to take part in political movements, which certainly tend to abstract the mind from higher and purer pur- suits; nor in the usual pleasures of the world —the principles that make the world (see John ii. 15, l6)—considering them as not consistent with a life devoted to spiritual progress. They have separated from the principles of the world, but do not live in seclusion; they shun the evils of the world, and all which leads to worldliness, but do not shun its children, in whose souls are the images of God ; they come in contact with those who are of the world, but live not according to the demands of the world—are they, therefore, Ascetics? Is their life rigid and austere? It may appear so to the egotist or the devotee of pleasure, but not to the philosopher or Christian. The ancient axiom, “ The fewer wants, the more happiness,” is still true. All the riches in the world will never suﬂice to supply the wants of a depraved appetite, for every sensual gratiﬁ- cation excites a desire for new indulgences of a more reﬁned kind, and in proportion to their fulﬁlment, the passion demands those that are more extensive and‘ luxurious. “Shakers,” or “ Believers,” enjoy the products of nature, with which they are amply supplied, and use all the comforts and conveniences which the fruits of their industry permit. They live not in luxury, but in comfort; not in extravagance, but in sufficiency. And is their manual labor hardship ? Labor is pleasure, if performed moderately, and for a good purpose; it has a salutary effect upon body and mind, and no one among them is required to Work beyond his capabilities. An evidence that their daily life is far from being austere, is afforded by their records of mortality, which prove a greater longevity among the Shakers than any other class of people. True piety will not showa solemn, Puritanic 932 THE SEIAKER. countenance, but will enjoy a hearty laugh, a mirthful and agreeable conversation. And let any visitor call at a Shaker village, and he will not meet many faces of a forbidding or down- cast aspect, but the peace within will show itself in the serene and happy countenances of those who have devoted their lives to purity and soul—developiiient, and who feel that they are at peace with God, and beloved by their companions. Do Shakers employ their time mostly in devotions and mortilications? Their devotional formalities occupy a very small portion of the day, for labor is prayer, and useful occupation more acceptable in the sight of heaven than the recital of long and meaningless prayers. But they most emphatically claim that their lives are spent in mortiﬁcation, not of the body, but of the carnal will. written, as the essence of wisdom, on the portals of the temple of Ephesus; and “Know thyself,” and “Conquer thyself,” is written now on the standard of Believers. To subdue themselves, and even eradicate that which “the still small voice ” condemns, and to restore the soul to its native purity, as a fit emblem of its l\Iaker—to replace in their minds the spiritual instead of the» sensual, is their aim and daily labor. Can such an end be reached without a struggle ? Without mortiﬁcation 3 God alone knows the fierce combat that has raged in many a soul aspiring after holiness; and often He alone has seen the silent tears, and heard the suppressed sobs of many a weary traveler towards His kingdom of eternal rest; and He alone knows the agony which the demand, “Conquer thyself,” often extorts. And were it not for His help, who would succeed ? But success is certain. His help, and the observance of the eternal truths established in the Church of Christ’s Second Appearing, will enable every soul to conquer the enemy within, and then the state of happiness will commence, an_d the soul will ﬁnd heaven on earth. Then the words of Christ will be fulﬁlled '. “ Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundred fold, and shall inherit ever- lasting life,” and peace, comfort and bliss will dwell in abundance in the soul, which will then , receive a forshadowing of the eternal,heavenly joys. There cannot be victory without a com- bat, nor holiness without struggles and morti— T ﬁcations of the carnal mind. Ascetics mortify the body; Shakers mortify the principalities of evil. But let Shakers be called Ascetics, or fanatics, or a deluded people—it will not alter the truth. There is only one way to salva- tion, and every soul, at some period of its ex- istence, either in this world or in the world to come, will have to enterit—the way that Jesus taught in the words : “ Forsake all, and follow me.” God speed the day when the light from above will shine on repentant and sorrow- stricken souls ; when Ilis angels will point out to an anxious and burdened multitude the true and only way of salvation from evil: Confess- ing and forsaking sin, and living alife of purity, humility, and unselﬁshness ! A. VVAGER. Union Village, 0. “ Know thyself,” was , The Knell of the Dying Year. Hark ! what is that low, inuriiiii'ring sound, That faintly falls upon the car? So distant, yet it jars the ground,-— lliisli l ’tis the knell of the dying year.-f All nature seems to hear the tell, The teinpests pause in their wild career, E’er they have reached their destined goal, And list to the knell of the dying year. The stately trees of the forest bend To catch the sound, and, appalled with fear, A niiiimiiring dirge in their sorrow lend, To bewziil the knell of the dying year. The stars look down from the murky sky, Tlirough a veil of clouds their sad faces appear’, And the moon, enmantled with mists on high, Seems to weep the knell of the (lying year. And wilt they not join in the solemn scene ’ 0, man ! while thy death toll approaclies near ? And would’st thou listen with downcast mien, To the s01'r0Wi'iil knell of the dying year ? " Let thy footsteps tread pure virtuc‘s way, And thou shalt never shed a tear ”—— _ A voice to my spirit seems to say—- “ As thou he-arest the knell of the dying year.” Wii.Li.iM CALVER. Charity. Charity has been defined to be a. principle which leads us to make use of the best means to bring about the best results. St. Paul said that “ charity rejoiceth in the truth.” All the Christian virtues and graces, which adorn the character of the good, harmonize; they never are antagonistical. If “ charity rejoicetli in the truth,” it also rejoices in justice and righteous- ness, as well as in mercy and kindness; and as all these harmonize, the greatest charity to _ _any soul is to hold it to strict justice, and not to indulge it in any wrong, because, “ he that doeth wrong shall suffer for the wrong he doeth,” Indulgence, instead of being charity, is in- justice and wrong to the very individual to whom it is extended, and in a social point of view, indulgence to oneis injustice to the whole community. This individual indulgence being intrinsically unjust, it can never promote har- mony, peace, nor righteousness in any society where it exists. Indulgence is exceedingly prone to assume the name and garb of charity, and, under this false color, often deeeives and has sometimes ruined very good men. The oft-repeated maxim, that “ it is better to err on the part of charity, than do otherwise,” is losing its effect, and, with some, has become entirely obsolete, and not without good reasons. To make this subject plain to the under- standing, we will give some brief illustrations: VVe' remember to have read of a millionaire in France who, out of charity, undertook to sup- port all the poor in a large district, and by his profuse liberality ultimately spenthis immense fortune. Although his funds were exhausted, he still felt it his duty to support all the poor within his reach, indiscriminately, and, ﬁnding no other resource, he took to highway robbery ! In this he was for a time very successful. Several heavy robberies were committed in the neighborhood, but no one for a moment mis- trusted the good philanthropist. At length he waylaid a priest, who was carrying a large sum collected to build a cathedral, and he murdered the priest and got the money ! All these sums were freely appro- priated to feed his poor. This good philan- thropist was at length caught in the very act of robbery, to thesiirprise of everybody. He was brought to trial, pronounced guilty, and condemned to be hung! lVhen the judge pro- nounced his sentence, he only replied, “ Alas! who will take care of my poor!” see that erring on the part of charity proved the utter ruin and destruction of this man, and it will of every individual family, or whole community, who persist, perseveringly to err on the part of this kind of charity, at the expense of justice, righteousness, and without regard to the moral character of its objects. Thus, we see one great theme seemed to have taken possession of this man’s mind, so as to overshadow all idea of justice, and even to conceal the horrid crime of murder! Has there not been something like this transacted among Jelievers, only differing in degree, but not in nature 3 Have there not been some un- principled, dishonest creatures indulged, and- sufl'ered to trample on and outrage the feelings and faith of all the more faithful part of com- munity, under the plausible pretext of extend- ing charity to the poor? Thus, the innocent and worthy members of community are im- posed upon, and robbed of their just rights, and their confidence and better feelings crushed, murdered, for the sake of indulging some lazy, shiftless, self-willed unworthy individuals; all done by erring on the part of charity, when great injustice is done to all parties. To ‘illustrate this subject further, we will make an extract from the Weslmivzster Review: “ Victor Hugo, of France, tells us of a very philanthropic bishop, who spent all his wealth and revenue on the poor———gave up his palace to be used as a hospital, and lived in a small cottage. He had no furniture but of the piainest kind; nothing that indicated wealth, except a set of massive silver plate, which, as an heirloom, had descended to him by legacy. This he would display on his table when he had guests. On a certain occasion, a desperate convict, who had served several terms in the penitentiary, amounting to nineteen years, called on the good bishop, soon after he had served the last term. “ The convict made a clean breast, and intro- duced himself in his true colors, as an outcast, and spurned by mankind. To his astonish- ment, the good bishop did not appear shocked, but looked upon him with kindness. The con- vict repeated the terrible fact, and, in proof, showed the passport given him on leaving the prison. The good bishop still smiled on him, and invited him to partake of food and lodging. Supper being prepared, and the silver plate paraded on the table in honor of the guest, they sat down and ate together. The convict eyed the silver plate and two massive silver candlesticks. The bishop was all goodness and loving-kindness toward the stranger-—the convict carefully watched where the servant put the silver plate, and was ﬁnally conducted to bed by the good bishop. “ In the dead of night the convict awakes, and makes his way to the place of deposit and grasps the plate—all but the candlesticks, which he could not readily ﬁnd, goes back to his chamber, and escapes through the window. The next day he was arrested by the police, and brought back to the good bishop, with his Thus, we‘ THE SHAKER 93 stolen plate, and the bishop, in the deep charity of his soul, told the policeman that the said convict was his friend, and that he had given the plate to him ! The zealous policeman, morti- ﬁed at his mistake, immediately withdrew. The bishop turned to the convict, and quietly presented him with the silver candlesticks, which the robber had omitted to take with the plate, and, laying his hand on the man’s arm, said: ‘My brother, you belong no more to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I now purchase of you; I Withdraw it from the spirit of perdition and give it to God l’ The convict departed with his booty, and that very day committed another robbery!” Says the Review : “ The prominent feature is an unbounded benevolence, before which every other consideration, even justice, as well as prudence, gives way. This is particularly displayed in the last scene in which he appears before us, when, in order to extricate the robber from the hands of the police, he dis- missed the latter with a falsehood, thus sacri- ﬁcing truth itself to the benevolent purpose of accomplishing the convict’s conversion, and saving him from his just deserts. Would it not be better for spiritual teachers to feed and stimulate the minds of their ﬂocks with a desire for spiritual improvement, and a spirit of obedience, instead of encouraging, by undue and perilous indulgence, that which is at once a cause and symptom of mental degeneration P” VVe will now make the application, and close the subject. Have we not seen something like this in the course of our experience? How many there are who, if they have not stolen directly, have unjustly spent the “ silver plate,” and, after all, have been presented with the “ silver candlesticks,” too! And how many of these unjustly-treated ones have ever re- formed, and their “souls thereby redeemed and purchased to God P” Have we not failed as utterly as did the good bishop? And have we not, by thus giving away our “candle— sticks,” let our candles go with them, and thus gradually been left in darkness P Consequently, are there not some among us who will have to exclaim, in the language of the foolish virgins to their more honored, faithful brethren and sisters: “ Alas! give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out P” so that they are left in the dark, and are scarcely able to “ discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth Him not P” VVhen charity, the greatest of three distin- guished virtues, is made tributary to. crime, and subservient to vice, then it is that we have arrived at a point beyond which charity ceases to be a virtue. The same may be said of true Christian forgiveness, for they are inseparably connected, and we cannot be in the exercise of one without being in possession ‘of the other. The true ground of Christian charity and for- giveness is always on conditions ; thus, “if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him ; and if he repent, forgive him.” Here is the found- ation of true charity and forgiveness, but be sure that his repentance is genuine, and not feigned. A brother is not a reprobate. If his repentance is genuine, he will be willing to suffer the just penalty due to his transgres- sions, and not to complain of the innocent be- cause they withhold their sympathy. How was it with Jesus, our Elder Brother, when speaking of the baptism of sufferings through which he must pass, in order to ﬁnd his redemption from that fallen nature which he took upon him, and when Peter began to sympathise with him, and said, “this shall never be unto thee, Lord P” VVhy, Jesus re- buked that false spirit of sympathy in Peter, and said: “Get behind me, Satan! for thou savorest not of the things that be of God, but of men.” How was it with Mother Ann, our ﬁrst—born Elder Sister, when she was suffering the just penalty due afallcn nature P Did she complain of the innocent for their want of sympathy P Never! She sought rather to hide herself, “lest some should pity her with a pity which God did not.” Let us go and do likewise, and then sympathy will flow spon- taneously. JAS. S. Pnnscorr. The Last Night of Jesus on Earth. Beautiful for situation,- As Jerusalem of old, Is the Lord’s new habitation, Where His truth and power unfold. Built of His eternal treasure, Is the City from above ; Vainly would our spirits measure llalfits glory, peace and love. We. whose hearts and homes are lighted With the radiance ofllis face, Know that bloom will reach the blighted, As the sun the darken’d place. Here. among the hills and mountains, Revelations we can gain ; Drink from spiritual fountains, Ne’er to thirst for earth again. Here the future is unfolded: From the shadows of the past, From wild chaos, God has moulded Beauties that will live and last; And His power is not diminished, Greater wonders IIe will do, Ere His work on earth is ﬁnished, And all things are made anew. Hope, with joyous, starry pinion, Speeds into the coming day ; Love goes back, through time’s dominion, On the pilgrim’s rugged way-— Love goes back to him who sorrowed O’er the wicked and perverse, Back to him who toil’<l and snlfcred, To destroy the Eden curse. Love, like Mary, bows and listens \Vhen the multitudes are taught ; In her eyes emotion glistens When the miracles are wrought. \Vhat, to her, is lenrniug’s station, W'ith its pompous iron sway ? Better for the soul’s salvation, Spoken of in simple way. Parables, from nature taken, Illustrate the law divine, And the honest soul awaken To the truths that round it shine. Still the world will kill the lowly ; For it loveth but its own, Hearts that would be pure and holy Still the press must (read alone. Jesus gave his life for others ; None could minister to him, Though he fain would make them brothers, Yet their spirit-life was dim ; All they knew he had imparted, Streams their source cannot supply ; They were faithless and faint-hearted, W hen the darkened hour drew nigh. ~ When the last sad meal was ended, And the solemn hymn was o'er, They the mountain slope ascended \Vith a grief unknown before. All their love to him had centered ; They had known him as a man ; But their hearts had never entered Into God’s deep, holy plan. \Vhen his grief he could not smother, Pressed on him with heavy weight ; They were striving with each other, \Vho among tliem should be great. They were children, and he led them 3 Their aﬂ'ections round him grew : Carefully he taught, and fed them In the life and spirit new. Oft he gathered them together, To baptize their souls in ﬂame- They, like lonely, desert heathen, Knew not whence the spirit came. Theirs was fervent, human feeling-- Tender sympathy and love ; God was to his soul revealing Elements they knew not 01'. Every human creed must perish ; Fairest (lowers will fade and part ; And the closest ties we cherish Break and wreck the trusting heart. Let this lesson ever waken Strength within the struggling soul :- Principles are never shaken ; God has kept them true and whole. They will grow and brighten, ever, ‘Neath the Angels’ chastening rod 3 They will form our home forever—- “ Stones” approv’d a.nd blcst of God. 0 my spirit, thou art lifted With a burst of holy song ;‘ And thy inmost sight is gifted With a. vision, sought for long. What, to thee, is earthly trial ? O, behold the heavenly state S In the clouds ofself-denial, Toll, and for fruition wait. . Numbered not with any nation, Israel, here shall dwell alone ; But his glory and salvation Shall throughout the earth be known! ' CECELIA D1; VERE. DEAR EDITOR :—The following, from the American I’In‘e:nolog1'.ca.l Jourrrml, is so excellent and true to life, that I call your attention to it for the beneilt of your readers. I have thought that judging any by their features was an unsafe and unjust criterion : but am now satis- fled that our spiritual beings become transformed into the likeness of those virtues for which we have admira- tion, or reflect the vices we endorse and p]'.'l(:li(:0. C. DIBBLE. THE MIND BUILDS ITS OWN HOUSE. “A sensual disposition deforms ‘the hand- somest features. A cold, selﬁsh heart shriv- els and distorts the best looks. A mean, groveling spirit takes all noble character out of the countenance. A cherished hatred trans- forms the most beautiful lineament into an _ image of ugliness. “ It is impossible to preserve good looks,with a brood of bad passions feeding on the blood, a set of low loves trampling through the heart, a11d a selﬁsh, disdainful spirit enthroned in the will. “ Badness and beauty will no more keep company than poison will consort with health. The experiment of putting them together has been tried for thousands of years, with one unvarying result. The laws of spirit work with unfailing effect, making sin punish itself. Every bad passion turns tell-tale, and publishes its disgraceful story in the features of those who have given themselves up to every sort of wickedness. This may not be all, but this transforming a. face once full of hope and inno- cence, into deformity, is terrible. “ There is no sculpture like the mind. The man who thinks, reads, meditates aright, has intelligence in his features, stamped on his brow, and gleaming in his eye. There is nothing that so reﬁnes and ennobles face and mien as the constant presence of great thou ghts, a high determination, a virtuous principle, an unquenchable enthusiasm. But more power- ful still than any of these, as a beautiﬁer of the person, is the overmastering purpose and pervading disposition of impartial kindness in 94: THE SHAKER. the heart, a universal benevolence, and desire to make others happy. The soul that is full of pure and generous affections, fashions the fea- tures into its own angelic likeness, as the rose, by inherent impulse, grows in grace and blos- -soins into a lovliness which art cannot equal.” Resurrection of the Dead. The fol-lowiiig literal translation of, and ob- servations upon, the XV Chap. of St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, v. 35 to 52, are presented in the hope that they may ren- der this difficult passage more intelligible to the ordinary reader than it is at present. Several reasons combine to make this portion of scripture hard to be understood. The trans- lators of the New Testament did not under- stand St. Paul’s meaning; and, evenvif they had, it Would require, for the reader to under- stand the words, an amount of spiritual intel- ligence which few possess. But the persons to whom St. Paul was writing, though in some respects enlightened, were not sufficiently ad- vanced to comprehend his meaning: therefore, St. Paul had to give a portion of his own light to them in the best manner he c'ould. This has, naturally, produced a mingling of spiritual truth and ﬁgures which must be very con- fusing to the unenlightened reader. We must bear in mind that the early apostles’ great difficulty was to give the Gentiles a real belief in a future existence. Lastly, the apostle him- self, though far superior in spiritual light to most of his contemporaries, and though his spiritual perceptions were much opened, had not himself the full light, which was reserved for the future. In the ﬁrst part of the chapter the apostle . labors to convince the Corinthians that there is a resurrection from sin in this life, and a life after the death of the body. He uses the appearance of Jesus to himself and others, as a means of enlightening their darkened minds. But, that the real meaning refers to spiritual life, is evident from the expression, ‘ye are yet in your sins.’ Then he explains, that not only is there a spiritual life while on this earth, but a life hereafter. If there were not a future life, why run hourly risk of misery in this? he 42. “ And thus (is) the re- surrection of the «lead ; (the man) is sown in cor- ruption, is raised in in- corruption; 43. “ Is_sown in dishonor, is raissd in glory ; is sown in weakiiess, is raised in power; 44. “ ls sown ii soul body, is raised a spiritual body: there is a soul body and there is a spiritual body. 45. “And thus it is writ- ten: The ii rst m an Adam was produced in- to a living soul ; the last man Adaui into a life- giving spirit. 46. “ But not ﬁrst (is) the spiritual, but the soul (principle); aftei'wards, . the spiritual. 47. “ The first man (is) of the earth. earthy; the second man (is) the Lord from heaven. 48. “ Like the earthy (are) the earthy; and like the heavenly (are) also the heavenly. 49. “And as we bore the likeness of the eai-tliy, we shall bear the like- ness of the heavenly. 50. “ This I say, brethren, that ﬂesh and blood are not able to share the kingdom of God. nor does corruption share iiicorruptioii. 51. “Behold, I declare im- to you a mystery: All of us shall not die. but we shall all be changed: 5‘l. “ In a moment, in the winking of an eye, in the last trumpet [for it shall sound], both the dead shall be raised iii- corruptible and we shall be changed.” N01‘E.—\Vords inelosed Greek. Greek. THOMAS I. He comes to the subject of \\'lll('ll the foregoiiig is illiistral.i\'e: The resin‘- rection of the dead is just the same ; the man is sown in corruption, but the lcgitiinate fruit 01' that inaii is an incorruptiblc Slilrlli. The man is sown. pos- sessed of a soul, but re- gciicnited or raised ; his spirit is evolved and be- coines his actual body: for the soul has a form or botly and the spirit has a form or body. ‘l’suclii- kon ’ means ‘ soul,‘ as an adjective, and cannot, in reasoii, be contorted into anytliing else; ‘ pliusikon’ is iliysical or iialiirul. he first Adain had a a soul, existing. indeed. but capable of giving life to no other; the last Adam is a spirit. able to give life to others .- i. c., the first is retreating froin l’)cit_v. the l2ittei' is advaiieing toward Deity. The soul is first gener- ated, the spirit is subse- quently evu lvcd. . To prevent the possibili- ty of mistake, he says that our physical bodies will not rise. The spirit of this pro- phecy is now fulﬁlled ; no doubt the_change that the Apostle speaks of has been experienced by them in the spirit land; and many dead are now being raised within the sound of the last trumpet; but like all the early Chris- tians he expected the change too soon, and nianifestly expected that both the change of the living, or spiritually en- lightened, and the raising of the dead, in sin, would be much more rapid than it is in re.‘-.lity. He has doubtless found by this time that nothing is gained without effort. thus ( ) are omitted in the Words inclosed thus [ ] are bracketed in the STROUI), Enﬁeld, Conn. Were Moses and Jesus Free- asks : Ll’l‘l<]R.-XL 'l‘RAl\'SLATlON. Y. 35. “ But some one will sav : ‘ How are the dead raised? and with what body do. they come ? 36. U. benseless! that which thou sowest will not produce, except it die.” ‘ 37. “ And as to that which thou sowest, thou sow- est not the body that is about to be, but the bare kernel, as it may hap- pen, of wheat or ofsonie of the other kinds (of grain).” _ _ _ 38. “ And God will give it a body as he willed, and to each (kind) of the seeds its own body.” 39. “ All flesh (is) not the same llesli; but (there is) one ﬂesh of men, an- other flesh of beasts, au- otlier ot' ﬁshes, another ol'bii'ds.” 40. ~‘ And (there are) bod- ies lieavenly, and bodies earthly; but the glory oftlie lieaveiily (is) one, and the glory of the earthly .'inothc1'.” 41. ‘- The glory of the sun (is) one, and the glory of the inoou one, and the glory of‘ the stars one; for star diﬁ'ci's from star in glory. EXPLANATIONS. Some one will ask the question : " What kind of bodies have the dead ?” Paul answers: ‘As the husk of the seed dies, and another body springs from the life principle in the seed.’ He continues: “ We do not sow the fruit, but grain of various kinds, and God gives the several kinds of fruit.” He continues to enforce the same idea by another simple illustration, vary- ing kinds ofaniiiials. Now he carries the idea fartlier: There are heav- enly bodies as well as earthly, and the glory of the heavenly differs froin the glory of the earthly. Illustration of the fore- going, the difference be- tween the heavenly bod- ies. Agents '2 Who was Jesus of Nazareth? What was his mission? Was it possible that he might have failed in performing his mission? If he had so failed, would the present race of beings have been hopelessly lost, or would there have been another i\lcdiuni, Teacher, Christ raised up, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to have done the same important work which he per- formed for humanity? I wish that I were a thorough historian, a theologian and something of a logician. Then, if I could bring my wayward pen under the rules of rhetoric, I could solve some knotty questions which now I ﬁnd much more diffi- cult to answer than to ask. I was taught in early life, by a pious, devo- ted Baptist mother, that Jesus was one of the Gods incarnated in human form ; that he was snugly ensconced in the bosom . of the All Father before the worlds were framed, and that he was the only son. That this Loving Father, who saw the end from the beginning, did, from all eternity, predestinate that certain portions of the race should be lost, and that at some time he would send this beloved son to rescue a part from utter destruction, and thus manifest his love and justice as also his great mercy. Religious teachers give children some hard nuts to crack when they talk to them about predestination and trinity of three male Gods conjoined in one; and full grown children oc- casionally are puzzled to understand how it is, and often find themselves in a maze from which it is difficult to extricate themselves. I have always thought it the wisest way for me to avoid great mysteries, and as much as possible to keep on a plain, even road, where the fool, for Christ’s sake, may travel and not err; keeping a good conscience and using what little common sense was given me. Reason is God’s gift to man, and is given for use. A few years ago an intelligent female friend, whose father was an Episcopal clergyman, said to me: “Oh! do not try to reason upon the doctrine of the Trinity; that is just the_cause of so many inﬁdels in the world.” I said: “Is not God the author of reason; and will He require us to believe anything that will not bear the light of reason?” She replied, “ It is a true doctrine, but too high for ﬁnite com- prehension.” ' We will leave the Trinity and return to the ‘ Sonship. If Jesus was the Christ, the only begotten of the Father, who are they who call upon God as their Heavenly Father? Chil- dren by adoption, are they, or is Jesus the Father upon whom they call? Hardly that; for they say “ grant our petitions for Christ’s sake.” When we go back upon Bible history, we see that the Great First Cause who framed the universe, gave the dry land and the sea their bounds, and marked out times and sea- sons and set the wheels in motion, designed that under law and order there should be eternal growth and progress. Never has the inﬁnite mind lost sight of the universe of its own creating, nor left it wi-thout a controlling, moral force sufficient to hold it in its course, and keep it from returning to chaos. Mineral, vegetable and animal life have progressed. At particular periods of time, when growth and development called for higher and more progressed teachers, there have been what we might call especial providences. Teachers and rulers have been raised up to meet the needs of the people for the time being. Then prophets would come forth, and, through inspiration, point them to a greater work, a more perfect day in the distant future, when they should have progressed unto it; a light ahead in the ascending upward scale. Moses was provi- dentially raised up to perform a certain work. He was a powerful minister of physical truth to the J ews——prel:isely what they needed and must have in order to progress. Now, was it possible for Moses to have proved recreant to that people —the Jews ? If so, would there have been another provideiitial teacher or law giver raised up unto that people, or would the chain of progress have been broken and the machinery reversed? If there could have been another Moses found, there might have been a little delay, but no failure. So we say, blessed is he or she who, being called and appointed to any 95 work, are found faithful. That depends upon their own volition. If Jesus was a divinely inspired teacher, pos- sessing larger powers of receptivity than any that had preceded him; had risen higher in the scale of purity by reason of his own obedience to laws given through Moses, and’ also on ac- count of the progressed physical and moral condition of his ancestry, and was thus ﬁtted to receive a baptism of the Christ Spirit that would induct him into a higher sphere of spiritual life, he thereby became the High Priest of a new dispensation wherein the law of an eye for an eye should be annulled by substituting love for force, rendering good for evil. Could Jesus have refused the call and offer of the teachership and inductor of the Jews into this higer law—the new dispensation? If it were possible, and had thus refused to re- ceive the Christ Spirit which was seeking a. ‘medium through which to Work, could or would that same spirit have sought and found another prepared vessel into which the oil through the golden pipes from the bowl or church in the invisible world, have been con- veyed to the people, or would the race have been hopelessly lost? A. DOOLITTLE. Appreciation. I have been an attentive reader of every number of THE SHAKER. It certainly has able expounders of our beautiful and soul- invigorating faith, and to this class of writers we need not add more. One after another of the brave veterans of a holy cause —those who might have retired with well- earned laurels, that shed lustre and joy over declining years- have come forth, as to the sound of a trumpet, and with pens that seemed dipped in the ﬁres of truth, and in the light of revelation, are thus proclaiming the pure principles of salva- tion. Noble fathers and mothers! may God send the angels to watch over you, to give light to your dimmed eyes, and strength to your fail- ing hands, that the glorious work of expound- ing the principles of “heaven on earth ” may not fall into less eﬂicient hands ! VVe read in the July number an expression that strongly unites in sympathy with its editor in making THE SHAKER “ a home edu- cator.” I have greatly desired to see this idea advanced, so that those who are children in years, and those who are willing to “ become so for the kingdom’s sake,” may ﬁnd the desiclerata that will enable them to become wise in spiritual things. Though not a youth, I am still near enough to that condition in life to know of its attendant temptations and dangers. This age needs just such “a home educator” as our little paper, to balance its perversions——to rebuke them—for it is an age that is too fast for the culture of virtuous deeds and eternal life. “ Youth is the time to serve the Lord,” a period when the song of life should be as fervent as the little bird’s, that seems to sing with all its might, and to the utmost expansion of its little bird’s harp : “ Oh God, I praise thee ever !” It is before the young tree has suﬁiciently developed, to produce perfect fruits, that it requires the most attention. The careful gar- dener never neglects to train, prune nor graft, nor to protect the young trees from worms, hurtful insects and the “little foxes that de- stroy.” Great care must be taken in every depart- ment of the juvenile age-—physically, morally and spiritually. Much pruning is necessary to prepare souls for the scion of faith, in ex- treme purity of life, and failure to be thus grafted is despair. Oh, the blasting of bright hopes that make up despair! For the right culture of youth, is required the sacriﬁces of noble souls unto untiring zeal in their behalf. And it may be encouraging, for all to know, that such there are; and youthful minds, “ the buds of promise,” who read THE SHAKER, are not to be neglected. A. M. WHEELER, U. V., Ohio. JUVENILE DEPARTMENT. -. Truth. ‘ DEAR Cnn.DREN:—In God, our Heavenly Father and Mother, are embodied the living principles of all truth. If you love God, and desire to express your love, live in the element of truth — speak the truth, act the truth. Adopt as the motto of every day’s life: “I will speak the truth at all times, and under all circumstances.” You will meet with circum- stances that will tempt you to stray from this path of duty, and which promise more pleasant inducements. Beware of the tempter, stand ﬁrm by your motto! The real heroes upon our earth, who have striven in the past, and who are now zealously striving to elevate the race, have ever scorned to speak or act an untruth. Learn to be heroic, and you need never fear any harm when clothed with the armor of truth. God will bless, if you will be truthful. The spirits of love and purity will journey with you daily, and with pleasure; and your spiritual fathers and mothers will own you and admire you if you resolve to stand upon the ground of truth. Endeavor to rise in love with truth, and then the kingdom of heaven will not be far off—-you will be in a condition to enjoy life; or, preparing for death, you will ﬁnd peace and happiness with Christ, in those mansions, not made with hands, eter- nal in the heavens. O. M. BEAVER. Formation of Character. DEAR EDITOR :-—Some time in my youthful days, I remember to have read in some author a very interesting description of two distinct characters. One was of a character of ﬁrmness and integrity of purpose, who was somewhat cautious on what he resolved or promised ; but the resolution once formed or the promise once made, was never to be swerved from or vio- lated, no matter what unforseen diﬂiculty might arise in the performance. The other character, though amiable in many respects, was quite forward and ineautious with his resolves and promises, and that too with sin- cere and good intentions. But he was weak and wavering: the least unexpected trouble would disconcert him, and away went all his good resolutions and promises! In a word, he was wholly unreliable, and as men became acquainted with him, they set him at naught and dropped him. On the other hand, the first named character, when inquiry was made concerning him, the reply would be: “ Well, he is not as ready to enter into promises and engagements as some others, but if you once secure his promise you are just as sure of the performance as you are of his life and ability to perform his engagement. IIe is a man of integrity and faithfulness; one that may be perfectly relied on.” As I read the ampliﬁed description of these two characters, I instinctively decided in favor of the man of integrity. After reading, reﬁec- tion came on, and the question was put home : To Which class of these characters do I belong? Looking back over my life, I had to pronounce judgment against myself; I decidedly belonged to the weak, wavering, unreliable class, which, in my conscience, I despised ! I had been whifﬁing, shirking and dodging on meeting the least unexpected difficulty. I could not quietly sit down, or go on under the just im- peachment of being such a character. It was a crisis, a turning point in my career. I then and there resolved, and covenanted with my- self, that I would break up that mean habit of Whifﬂing and changing, and I laid down the following rule for myself: “ Whatever I promise or resolve to do, nothing shall ever prevent me from accom- plishing but the absolute inability or want 0. power, or the discovery that the fulﬁllment would be morally wrong.” From that . day I have striven, and not in vain, to live squarely up to this rule, and it has changed my whole character and course of life. Ilence, I have come to the conclusion that .every youth or young man can, if he will ﬁrmly and with all his heart set about the work, change off a low, mean and degraded character and course of life, for one that is far more excellent and lovely. I mean, I believe he can do this by the aids and means which the Gospel furnishes him. This conclusion is the pith of the mat- ter. I do not expect that the character I have drawn will suit every one ; but I do mean that every one has some defects of character which he may discover by honest and faithful self- examination, and extirpate by decided efforts made in obedience to gospel principles. This is the work of regeneration. There are no mysterious depths in it; it is the regeneration of your spirit; it is putting off the ﬁrst coarse husks of character, and putting on these re- ﬁnements of spirit and consequent reﬁned external accomplishments, which the Gospel alone can give and ﬁrmly establish in the character. It is embellishing our character and mannew with all those glorious virtues which all good men love and respect, and which will enable us to love and bless man- kind. I cannot do better here than to ﬁnish with a paragraph from a good, old, enlightened author. “ ]f thou hast any thought of being here- after a member of that blest society of chosen spirits, of the excellent ones of the earth, of souls framed to love and peace and harmony, thou wilt set thyself in earnest to enrich thy mind with the heavenly graces of meekness, patience, forbearance and benevolence; and in the exercise of these virtues thou wilt ﬁnd joys inconceivable to the sordid sons of earth; thou wilt endeavor to be to thy fellow crea- tures, even in this life, a guardian angel and a God.” R. VV. P. 96 _TI-IE SHAKER. Words by E. T. LEGGETT. A True Love. Music by G. A. LOMAS. .= ' }—l- _ " . _r:_i!__,l,;ﬂ—_.,’.'___F%—: .— .~— , l E _, I E*Fﬁ i-Li . . I _L. I #12 J L l\ T‘ ‘I -i 4.. -W‘ ' l l I *1 1 Purer than the skies of ev - en, /1 - . . J . . I *1 1'‘ J‘ 5 L A J l —l U L , - , I , -_,_1_a_-_j§‘:j:ij__,___,::::_'t. . T .‘ 5 brighter than the morn-mg sun, Am 4 U L fl _4_ :x=:s———->~ “;.—u—.+—._—4-‘ A = '* -_:_3.- 1.» :_.»=_..m " 3-‘ :7 -3- —a—- -d‘——ii— ' '3 L :1’ *‘ . 1|; [4 I I §l l—' [I L ..J.~4I~--» . —.,:~, E 9- =:r-—~T”c‘?§3.¥t’"-E-*'=§‘-i~aa.-r- *-+:?:b-§—:w~a—:i-Er-:‘l‘:.%‘:H@4~r-3+?-:=E5l§'r:4=zEﬂ U P 5 — — v r x u I, L I Is that angel - love from heaven, L F I] blending all our hearts in one; W I TI? . 1 v v I 11 ll _ L I u —r:-——r-s;i—*:.tla_!:'—':'§‘5*="=':'-l:l=%:a-:—— —.——.:§~En H B] P 3- € l ‘E ‘I r r §2::,,__t-‘*-- ‘-"Ci-l-~4-a:l:;l:ail—-’~=:——-l—€—'-::::t;__—_-:l::3: ;9”——ﬁ**“*F‘?“:=a*?r2*.4"4‘-a*—fi—1—+1—3-a«§-H425-a—a——eFj:+ . H 2 1%. , . I '__.s: it Now like rippling wa - ters meeting, murmuring gladness 2 Oh, it is a glorious feeling, deep'ning as we heavenward go, Spotless as the sunlight. stealing softly through the falling snow; "Its a fount of living waters, with rich blessings running 0’er, Where all Zion's sons and daughters, drink of bliss and thirst no more. 3 Love will heal the broken hearted, it will cure the stricken soul; ’TwiIl unite whom death has parted, where no waves of sorrow roll. It will triumph when the mountains. time, at last, shall overthrow, And when silent, all lit‘e’s fountains, love shall bright, still brighter glow. XI — I 4 I . r 1 [I 1 i_. . 1' Q; . v_rEg;:i‘_‘l_:d Now Within our hearts ’tis beating, march - es to the brighter spheres. 9 liL_l‘il[;i4j’:l— “L-4" 'i':_._7j rail’?-did 14:5 ——E————— §3__.__..:;* _1_;i4* 1,4‘ d_¢___ ;_ =_*§j:l_.: ___%-14 *4’-:1 r._g‘_.;‘_.i_;.':'[:_j pf-_;d_i:E_*_‘l::E‘:rg:|_:___—'.,._‘::‘“ it to our ears, W-1'43 7. ¥ vi-:2 .5 ii 4 Like the light of hope that’s beaming, o’er the dark clouds rolling high, Love reveals far o’er them gleaming, brighter worlds beyond the sky. Grant, thou Great Almighty Giver, o'er our wild and bleak domain, Love may, like lost Eden’s river, make this world to bloom again. 5 ‘Tie: to God and to each other, love unites us heart and hand, And will guide us, sister, brother. homeward to the promised land; Wliile we pray to be forgiven, while we hope for heaven above, May our strife be all for union, and our contest all for love. The Shaker to its Readers. The present number of our-self completes; the ﬁrst volu1ne.- VVe have attempted, and information of'the peculiar people whose nick- name We bear. We might animadvert some- what upon the writings of those who have ﬁlled our pages, but prefer to look with a charitable eye upon those whose theology has been unable to keep pace with the increase of the revelations of the Good Spirit. VVe pur- pose being a special agent for the enlighten- ment of the household of SHAKER principles, and with it, leaving the dead of the past, “go on unto perfection.” (Heb. 6:1.) We have traveled far and wide before we are one year old. We have had more than seven thou- sands of ourself circulated each month—sia: thousands and more reaching actual subscribers and agents. We purpose, with the aid-of every lover of virtue-—every friend to the re- form of vice and admirer of purity of life, to reach a circulation of ten thousand, the coming year, if possible. We mean to meet our patrons with an improved appearance, on supe- rior paper, and with living and life-giving ma- terial of enhancing value, the coming year; We therefore beg to meet our old subscribers- every one—on New Year’s Day. Our sub- scription price is the same; and, while it does not pay the cost, we are no poorer in spirit for all of ourself we have given aWay.- Let each of the Shaker Societies give us a day’s labor, or an acre of ground beneﬁt, remember- ing the reward of giving to the poor. \Ve know We are the advocate, in the missionary line, of principles that are eternal, that will not down at the bidding of worldly pride, lust nor selﬁslmess. WE MEAN T0 LIVE-——aI1d by your help, kind readers, we mean to do a great deal of good. Though the following may seem a little irreverent for our pages, may not some of us ﬁnd therein a valuable hint? 0 l\lAKING HER FLY.———0ld Aunt Dina was a shouting colored saint of the city of Charles- ton, who would sing at the top of her voice i and cry “Glory!” above all the rest of the have measurably succeeded, in giving correct , c0ng,.egati0n_ It was common at the mission- ary prayer meetings of the colored people to take up a collection while singing the hymn, “ Fly abroad, thou mighty Gospel 1" In the midst of which Aunt Dina always threw her head back, shut her eyes and sang lustily till the plate passed. The sable collector observed her habit, and one evening stopped when he came to her and said bluntly: “ Look aheah, Aunt Dina, you needn’t be a- singing ‘ Fly abroad, thou mighty Gospel ’ if you doesn’t give nothing to make her ﬂy !” The responsibility of receiving and preparing material for our columns, as well as directing each individual wrapper, rests upon the Resi- dent Editor. The folding and wrapping, ready for mailing, is the gratuitous offering of Sister Harriet Bullard with her able corps of youth- ful assistants. This is to be appreciated. Bowing in gratitude for past favors, we invite your immediate renewal of subscriptions that we may continue to “ ﬂy abroad ” many years to come. THE SHAKER. 3%“ Bound copies of the ﬁrst volume of THE SHAKER, may be obtained by application to the Resident Editor. Price, Two Dollars; extra binding, Three Dollars. 3%“ Any parties sincerely solicitous ofa thorough explanation of Shaker views of religion; and who would willingly bear the expenses, in transitu, of a Lecturer, to discourse upon “Religious Commun- ism; " or “ Ann Lee and the People called .S'ha.I:e1's ,' ” may communicate with this Oilice. G. A. Lomas, Shakers, Albany 00., N. Y. EUBLICATIONS. Christ’s First and Second Appearing - - $1 25 l)unlavy’s Manifesto - - - - - - 1 25 Millennial Church - - - . - - 1 00 Compendium of Shakerisni - - - - - 0 50 Three Discourses on United Interests - - 0 50 Tracts free, where postage is paid. THE SHAKER. A MONTHLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO THE EXPOSITIONS. 0F,.ZRELIGION, ACCORDING T6) SHAKER THEOLOGY. FIFTY CENTS, PER ANNUM. IN ADVANCE. G. A. LOMAS, Resident Editor, Shakers, Albany Co., N. Y. MEMBERS OF SOCIETY} ﬂppoinled to answer C'orrespondents, among whom are the Board of Editors. Elder F. W. Evans, Mt. Lebanon, Columbia Co., N. Y. “ Issachar Bates, Shakers, N. Y. Calvin G. Reed, Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y. Simon Mabec. \Vest1’ittsIield, Mass. Stoughton Kellogg, ’l‘hompsonville, Conn., Shakers. Albert Battles, Tyringham, Berkshire 00., Mass. Wm. Leonard, Ayer, Mass, Shakers. John \Vhite1ey, Shirley Village, Middlesex Co., Mass. Nehemiah Trull, Shaker Village, Merrimack Co., N. H. Henry Cummings, Enﬁeld, Grafton Co., N. H. John B. Vance, Alfred, Shakers, York Co., Me. Alonzo Gilman, West Gloucester, Cumberland Co., Me., Shakers. Chas. Clapp, Union Village, \Varren Co., 0., Shakers. Ezra Sherman, Preston, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Shakers. Stephen Ball, Dayton, Shakers, OlllO. J acol) Kulp, Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky. J. R. Eades, South Union, Logan Co., Ky. J. S. Prescott, Cleveland, Ohio, Shakers. Sample Copies of THE SHAKER sent free to any address upon application at this oﬂicc.
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Subjects: Shaker -- Periodicals
Identifier: yhm-sha-ts0112
Is part of: Hamilton College Library Digital Collections, Communal Societies Collection, Shaker Collection

Title: Shaker Manifesto, vol. 02, no. 01 (January 1872)
Publisher: Mount Lebanon Bishopric
Date: 1872-01-01
Place published: Albany (N.Y.)
Text: THE SHAKE . “ I\VILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL THIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITII THE LORD.” Published Monthly, by and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprie. VOL. II. G. A. LUMAS, Enrron. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., JANUARY, 1872. V" 1 F1]«‘T‘l’ CEN'l‘S.1’1iR ANNUM. The Coming Millennium. THE SHAKER, to its friends of 1872, greeting, with thanks to its friends of 1871, and to the press, by whom it has been re- ceived with so much courtesy, and treated with so great tenderness, if not kindness, these are due in an especial manner. lVe feel that the mission of THE SHAKER is coincident with that of Jesus and his twelve apostles in the year one. Jesus, when perfected, represented a sphere that was “far above all heavens.” The twelve apostles represented the kingdom of heaven upon earth as it culminated in the Pente- costal Church. The condition of the world, to-day, is strictly analagous to what obtained under the Roman ...
Show moreTHE SHAKE . “ I\VILL SHAKE ALL NATIONS, AND THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME; AND I WILL FILL THIS HOUSE WITH GLORY, SAITII THE LORD.” Published Monthly, by and under the direction of the Mt. Lebanon Bishoprie. VOL. II. G. A. LUMAS, Enrron. SHAKERS, ALBANY CO., N. Y., JANUARY, 1872. V" 1 F1]«‘T‘l’ CEN'l‘S.1’1iR ANNUM. The Coming Millennium. THE SHAKER, to its friends of 1872, greeting, with thanks to its friends of 1871, and to the press, by whom it has been re- ceived with so much courtesy, and treated with so great tenderness, if not kindness, these are due in an especial manner. lVe feel that the mission of THE SHAKER is coincident with that of Jesus and his twelve apostles in the year one. Jesus, when perfected, represented a sphere that was “far above all heavens.” The twelve apostles represented the kingdom of heaven upon earth as it culminated in the Pente- costal Church. The condition of the world, to-day, is strictly analagous to what obtained under the Roman empire: The same general ex- pectation of some radical impending change, something that would overturn and supplant existing systems. Then, as new, science dominated over religion; skepticism over theology; inherent abstract rights over or- ganized Wrongs. Spiritualism and spiritual manifestations permeated society through and through. A more subtle and powerful spirit, that should effect the long-looked- for revolution, and the agents through which it would operate, had already been in their midst for a generation; the many knew it not, and the few who did, were opposed and persecuted. The kingdom of heaven, as established within and among the apostles, and in a more expanded form after the death of Jesus, was a condition where good and evil, light and darkness, were mingled together; yet where the good, and true, and right, predominated over their oppo- sites. Jesus, who founded this kingdom, has been worshiped by millions as God, because the race has ever identiﬁed the most perfect correspondent of Deity, with which nature or the mundane world fur- nished it, with God himself. The twelve apostles personatcd the twelve foundational principles of the Christian system; and they also embodied in their character the fundamental principles of the Jewish dispensation. “Other foundation than these, can no man lay” for the com- ing millennial order. The past twelve numbers of THE SHAKER have been devoted to the eluci- dation of the above named principles, and of the history of their effects upon and among mankind. These comprise the mis- sion of Jesus, and of the twelve men whom he has immortalized, by whose means have been effected the revolutionary turnings and overturnings of all human, earthly institutions for the last eighteen centuries, from the year one to 1770. The spirit and principles of the Christ-world, comniingled with worldly elements, have hitherto ulti- ‘mated themselves only in man governments. About the year 1770, another inﬂux from the Christ-world, coming down through the spiritual world, there using as a medium the Pentecostal Church, which was removed from the earth when the compound heathen- Christian governments, made its continued existence impossible, except in the dis- jointed, distorted form of the monastic orders, and in the two witnesses, struggling to preserve the seed of the “kingdom of heaven ” on earth, and chanting a continual prayer for its reappearance. In answer to that universal prayer, “ the kingdom came” at the time appointed, as demonstrated by Cummings and Shimeall, and thousands of the literary and religious chronologists——the great lights of Christen- dom——about the year 1770. But this time, the agent unexpectedly proved to be a female, and not the reappearance under the physical resurrection doctrine of the identical man Jesus. Through this female, the dual nature of Diety was revealed, and formed a proper logical basis for all govern- ments of a dual humanity, in accordance with which seventy pcntecostal communi- ties arose in America, being cotemporary with the United States Government. The history of these two governments will run parallel like the history of Esau and his descendants—the Mohammedan powers; and the history of Jacob and his posterity ——the Israelitish powers, or Jewish people. THE SHAKER, or spiritual order of celi- bacy unites, as was never attempted by the monastic orders, the two powers of human- ity—-male and fe1nale——in one community, under a parental government of father and mother, as types of the Father and Mother God. The second, or United States Govern- ment, or natural order of propagation, will ultimately be fashioned after the pattern of the Mosaic nation in the wilderness, and in their early history in the land of Canaan. The same principles embodied in the Jewish laws respecting property-——right to the land, agriculture, dietetics, physiology, and of the sexual relations pertaining to reproduc- tion, and the rights and privileges of woman. The same knowledge and use of spiritualism, as the only legitimate war agent, also as an agent for the discovery and punishment of individual criminals, as well as ungodly nations. Thus will the Millennium be actualized on the earth, by the Christ-spirit acting through the agency or mediumship of the Gentile Pentecostal Church. The prophet “ saw the hands of a man under the wings of the cherubim ”—-—the earthly government for the order of propagation subordinate to, and protected by a spiritual order, as the spiritual order will be subordinate to, and protected by the earthly order——indi- vidualized identities, like Esau and Jacob ; yet like them brothers, “the elder serving the younger.” Esau possessed the physi- cal power, Jacob the spiritual. In the earthly government, the. Lord shall rule in righteousness; for men and women will be equally represented in oﬂices, as in the taxes and burthens. The love of God towards their children, sons and daughters of their own creating, will cause the life elements to be common and free to all. External “wars will cease to the ends of the earth," because the reproductive powers will be under governmental control, for the production of perfect men and women. Hence, the war power will be transferred to the earthly government in the spirit world; as illustrated in the his- tory of Is1'ael. The powers and principles of both orders, as they exist in the spirit world, are seeking to incarnate themselves upon earth, in the S/zczlrer C/Lu/rch and in the United States Government; by the divine Spirit, through the agency of Spirit- ualism, this will be accomplished, and “ the powers of the world to come,” are even now working mightily to this end. The talented, but erratic Francis Train, is a spiritual medium for the much abused and down-trodden Irish, who have passed into the spiritual world, in an unsubdued worldly spirit; they seek vengeance on 2 THE SIIAKER. their enemies in this world; and in a re- bellion of their countrymen, they would stimulate and instigate them to acts of rapine and violence, congenial to their own passions. Victoria VVoodhull is a medium of the other sex, for the corresponding mission to Americans. These two, according to their own predictions, are the next presidents of the United States. They will be largely assisted, from the other world to realize and fulﬁll their own prophecies. At a public dinner, given by the Emperor of Russia, he confessed with the simplicity of a child, what was conﬁrmed by the‘Em- press, and other members of their suite; that he was inﬂuenced by spirits, through the American medium, Home, to emanci- pate the twenty millions of serfs: and that the spirits helped and sustained him in the accomplishment of the arduous undertak- ing. Prince Albert and Queen Victoria were spiritualists; and skeptics are calling her crazy, and seeking to dethrone her upon that ground. Lincoln and Stanton were spiritualists, to our personal knowledge; and to the spirits, were due the emancipation of sla- very, and the ﬁnal success of the North. England, to-day, must recognize the power of the spiritual world, and bow before it, by letting her government be fashioned after the “pattern shown in the Mount,” or share the fate of France. She has “taken the sword” externally, and is perishing by it. Her priests, for the sal- vation of her soul; her doctors, for the cure of her body; her lawyers, for the protec- tion of her property; her army and navy, for her defense against her enemies (created by her own wickedness), are eating her up. Her own sons and daughters are her worst enemies, being despoiled of their inherent rights. These, inspired from the unseen world, through its thousands of circles, are enthusiastically demanding that none shall possess who do not help to create. They claim the land as belonging to the English, the Irish, the Scottish, and the VVelsh, without distinction of sex. In a word, the time has come for the founding of the spiritual order, in England; and parallel with that, will go forth spiritual agents, that cannot be over-awed, over- reaehed, over-powered, nor checkmated by human authority or subterfuges; “until the Lord rain righteousness upon” the earthly government of England, founded upon millennial principles. As before stated, both the earthly and spiritual orders and governments are now in full, successful operation in the spiritual world; and, unless human beings on earth can overthrow and destory these; the inﬂu- ences therefrom will continue to descend to earth, as “ refreshings from the presence of the Lord,” and demanding the restitu- tion and restoration of all truth there con- centrated, that “God has ever spoken by the mouths of all His holy prophets ” among all nations, and among all peoples, since the World began ; until every true principle that has been, and every prophecy of good that is to be, shall also be concentrated in “ this generation.” And the little SHAKER will yet, more than heretofore, become a medium of “the Spirit and the Bride, who say Come; and let him that heareth, say come,” and work out their own salvation, by helping to build the temple of the Lord -—a Celibate Church on earth, and to estab- lishthe millennium among the nations. F-. W. E. Humility and Prayer. 0 Heaven I we seek thy choicest gifts Of mutchless worth, and beauty rare—— The gifts of sweet humility, and prayer. 0, may we walk where these abound, And seek the blessings flowing there- The joys of true humility, and prayer. All graces pure, may we possess, The spotless robe which angels wear-— Tl1at’s framed in deep liumility, and prayer! May Heaven’s sacred gems adorn The crown, which by the cross, we’ll hear- Secured by labor, faith and hope-and prayer. Far down in Zion’s peaceful vale, Let every child of God repair-— There bow in praise, humility, and prayer. United in true Christian love- Joined, heart and hand, we’ll gather there, And pour forth, in humility, a prayer, That will ascend, unto the throne Of him, who sits in glory there, To bless all souls, who ask of him, in prayer. 0 precious gifts l divinely given, Blest seasons here-—1'oretaste of heaven ! WVe’ll cherish these with love and care, And. trusting in Humility and Prayer. EMILY SMITH, Mt. L. The Prospective Era. The Fatherhood and Motherhood of man, is God; his pristine home is Heaven! VVidely strayed and lost from God, man has been wan- dering in the dark mazes of folly and sin for ages ; his soul sighing, pining, dying. In tender mercy to the wandering children, God hath long since sent forth to mana degree of light, a pole—sta.r (His revealed lVill), a compass (conscience), and guide (Christ’s ex- ample), to lead the Wanderers home. But, as on the physical plane, man, when lost, travels in a circle; so, in like manner, man’s progress mentally, and especially spiritually, has been circuitous, or, at best, spirally, for unnumbered ages. VVhile reason teaches that the least fatiguing course in the pursuit of truth and heaven, is direct, yet, the whole history of man’s progress, thus far, shows his travel to have been spirally, as round a cone; and, though convinced that the easiest means of ele- vation from a low state of degradation is directly up the even grade of an inclined plane; in other words, pursuing directly from one stage of virtue, to another, still more excellent, yet man’s travel, out of nature’s loss, has been undulating; sometimes asscending the hill of redemption, then descending again towards degradation, loss and shame, seeming to weary of direct elevation even in the attainment of bliss. As a consequence, thus far, the progress of the race in redemption and virtue, has been slow and tedious; but a brighter day is dawn’- ing, and cheered by the rays of its rising sun, let us, by their light, review the past and dis- cover the development of the future weal of humanity. In man’s onward career in redemption the “ Te damn” of the Adamie dispensation has been passed. The impressive mellowing tones of the Sacred Anthem of the N oachian period have died away, having lifted man a little to a higher level of earthly righteousness. The needful but sober song of Moses, with its Levitical harmonies and stem legalities, is still rolling its echoes back and forth upon the Worldly order, yet on the generative plane, giving tone to moral law, and pointing to a higher standard of excellence. VVhile the sweet angelic song of the Lamb (the testimony of Jesus Christ), is heralding its ringing inspi- rations, and with its trumpet—tongue calling together sin—sick souls to meet with the assem- blage of Angels in the Kingdom of God, sing- ing the joyous anthem of “ Peace on earth, good will to all natio11s.” Angels in Heaven and saints on earth are chanting the welcome tones of a present salvation from sin, and the soul-thrilling rhapsodies of the Angel-life lived here on earth! VVhile the Worshiper at Zion’s shrine is ﬁlled with prophetic inspirations and heavenly visions of the glory of this prospec- tive era in man’s redemption, the multitude err in still lingering in the dispensations of the past, feeding on dried fruits from the ripened harvests of by—gone eras ; hence their religion is power- less for salvation, insipid and uhrefreshing to the soul. While God’s increasing work is moving on for the harvesting of the ripened clusters of the vines of the earth (natural families), cutting them off from the generative life, with all its righteousness, and preparing them to become garnered into the kingdom of God. This is the work of the angels, seen by the revelator, John. Let us look to the betokening signs of the swiftly advancing approach of this kingdom, and ﬁnd an inspiration of encouraging hope; while the Day of the Lord, to the worldly man or to the halting Christian, is a day of darkness and no brightness in it; because such see only by its advent the loss of carnal pleasure and self-will, with all that weds and tethers the soul to an earthly sphere-a worldly life. Jesus‘ said: “ Ye can discern the face of the sky, can ye not discern the signs of the times ?” Man’s soul and spirit, as well as his physical frame are longing and yearning for their devel- opment and redemption from the thraldom of the curse of sin. God hath provided the means to answer this demand; humanity is seeking them, and will enjoy them, and the day of its advent and power is dawning ; this is the proph- ecy written on all the phases of man’s progress that have been passed through, and now borne on the foreheads of the van-guard of human redemption. The rapid strides of man’s modern progress TI-IE SHAKER. 3 in science and art, ministering to the develop- ment of physical and mental comfort, is pro- phetic of a parallel rapidity of the march of spiritual progress to satisfy the yearning and and pressing demands of the soul. Revealed religion has been given of God to bring man’s soul home to its Creator; yet, like every gift from God to man, it has been subjected to adultery! Everything that man hath touched he hath adulterated! But one of the pawn strains of the Mosaic song was: “ T hon shalt not commit adultery ;” and our Saviour hath come to fulﬁll that law. Let the Children of Zion be glad, for there is a growing evidence of the redemption of his pledge! The adulter- ated religions of human production, numbered by hundreds, have, one after another, perished from the view; and the remnant are rapidly coming into disrepute, because of their want of salt. But, in them all, there have been ele- ments of salvation which will all be conserved by that religion of full and free salvation sounded forth in the “ Song of the Lamb” on Mount Zion! The scientiﬁc discoveries and developments of the day, as the electric telegraph, steam loco- motion, etc., are all sympathetically linking the kingdoms of the earth; and their powers are yet to be felt spiritually, as really as now, physically and mentally; for they are giving character and tone to mind, and through mind to the soul. They are developing a universal interest in human prosperity not bounded by national caste, color nor education. They are contributing to the development of a sensitiveness of spiritual feeling—a quickness of receptivity of goodness. The angels of God are pouring out an inspira- tion that will fledge the wings of the soul, and render it impatient of a plodding pace in the work" of redemption from sin; and soon the progressive march of religious truth and power will be seen moving with an electric speed to satisfy the quickened soul’s demands. It is the prophetic promise of the coming era. The progressing man is not, will not, cannot be satisﬁed with a religion that leaves the soul unﬁtted for Heaven. The adulteration of reli- gion has been so great that even the element of spirituality has been drained from its c11p. The manifestations of spiritualism in these prophetic days throughout the World, is the usher of a new soul-life into humanity—a life in God. And although in its varied phases of progress, human folly and sin are manifest also, discover- ing that adultery hath likewise set her hostile plough into the fruitful soil, yet’ angels are sing- ing the song of Moses from Sinai; and, quick- ened With gospel ﬁre from the heavenly altar, are ringing out: “ Thou shalt not commit ” a.nd many souls will hear and heed its heavenly trumpet. There is a spiritual baptism of heavenly ﬁre, a spiritual life in the consumption and death of a carnal life, now kindling in the elements of adultery ; religious power, that is destined to consume the world of iniquitous adultery, the birth of the creations of fallen man ! Its advent is near at hand; it is the power of the coming day of the Lord, now speedily approaching. This destruc- tion of the world——the corrupted nature of man, by the ﬁre of the cross of Christ, is the “end of the world,” predicted by our Lord and Saviour; it is the prophetic boon of heavenly promise, clearing the way for the building of the kingdom of God on earth, as his will is done in Heaven; while the consumption of the literal earth by elemental ﬁre, as the grand climax of the judgment day, is an invention of human theology never recognized by the coun- sels of God. But, in the judgment day of the Lord, now dawning, “ Light is sown for the righteous;” peace for the pure in heart; joy and rejoicing at the judgment throne for the souls whose books of life by themselves are opened to God’s witnesses, by an honest confession of every sin, and whose repentance is witnessed by the fact that they go forth to duty in life, and “ sin no more.” The theology of man’s adulterated spiritual- ism hath broken down the barriers between sin and righteousness, hell and heaven, and reduced to one common level of justiﬁcation the sinner and the saint; the common and enormous evils of humanity, with the most exalted right- eousness, purity and godliness manifest in human life; but God’s law to man has been operating to separate to Himself all souls who would obey his voice through his anointed teachers, and come away from the sinful state of man; and God’s work is not to be thwarted by an avalanche of human theology, affirming that “ Whatever is, is right,” making God the author of sin! God recognizes sin in the hu- man family, and man as the simzer; and the subject of suffering for it, is not himself, nor some foreign devil; but the devil of man’s own erring self-will ! And the light of ' the day of God now dawning, discovers a clean separation between him who serveth God, and him that serveth him not ; and a wide distance between the world of wickedness, and the kidgdom of God and its righteousness I It discovers a real, veritable hell ; and, though not the theological lake of ﬁre and brimstone, yet a state of soul- sufferings and agonies, of disobedient and re- bellious sinners, grievous to contemplate, and terrible to endure ! It reveals a veritable heaven, and that upon earth, too, the state and dwelling place of the pure in heart, who crucify the nature of sin by rigid self-denial, and sac- riﬁce sinful pleasures for the higher joys of immortal life. 4 The inspirations of “the song of the Lamb ” are leading forth a people out from the worldly plane of generation and lust; separating them from the elements of Ca-7'7l(ll life, an soul death, to be, not only God’s people, but God’s peculiar people, zealous of good works; the objects of his peculiar favor and blessing; not the boun- ties of partiality, but the just rewards of righteousness and godly obedience. These are they who stand with the Lamb on Mount Z ion, clad in white robes—the righ teens- ness of saints. These are arisen with Christ from the sink of human corruption by following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth ; these are the redeemed from among men, on the genera- tive plane, and dwell in the kingdom of God; in one perpetual, glorious day——the day of the Lord Almighty~whose sun of righteousnes and heavenly light and glory shall set no more forever ! GILES B. AVERY. Earth-Growth—~Sou1-Progress. “God 1':-rined man of the dust of the grronnrl. and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." Gen. iii. 8. It has been, to some, mysterious, when people of strong minds dispute the scripture which says: God formed men of earth, and the great book of nature proves it. Our race, animals of every grade, and vege- tables of every species, are simply dust. Taking a view of the decorations of royalty, the pride of palaces and cities, endless forms of fancy and fashion, heaps of gold in a thousand cof- fers, with all things terrestrial which man be- comes wedded to, “dust they are and unto dust they 7‘etm'n.” \Vhen man enters wedlock, by labor and care he may surround himself and his house- hold with treasures and comforts, but they re: turn to dust. VVhen he plants the germ for another existence, we must remember it was created by a natural law fashioned from his subsistence. The mother grows that germ into infant maturity on the subsistence she draws from the same great reservoir through allithe changes of gestation. Thus, by a changeless law, she clothes it, strengthens it, and forms it into a being which, like Adam the ﬁrst, is created from the dust. Thus all nature de- clares that God not only formed the ﬁrst man of the dust, but his whole race by generations are drawn from the dust as he was. ‘We may also easily discern that unborn millions with- out form still lay in the dust waiting to be called forth, to be constructed and reconstructed by natural law into living specimens of indi- viduality. ‘When an infant is forming into life, God, through the agency of a mother, breathes life into it, till it comes into the world and can do so for itself; then it gradually be- comes a conscious or living soul, as. dark, natural and depraved as the beings who gave it existence. . God is in the very breath that quickens the infant into life, as it did Adam, and that breath ﬁnally inspires all to feel that they, too, be- come living souls. The poor Indian and the Scriptures declare that God is in the atmos- phere or wind, and they are right ; for our ﬁrst parents said: “ \Ve heard the voice of the Lord God, walking (among the trees of) the garden in the cool (margin or wind) of the day.” From that period till now, the man of earth receives his revelations through nature’s ele- ments. The skeptic, when raising his under- standing no higher than the foregoing, rests at ease in Inﬁdelity. But there is a brighter page in the chapter. Man in his male and female capacity is emphatically the tree of the knowl- edge of good and evil. The germs for the whole race of Adam, body and soul, were placed in the earth by an all-Wise Creator, to come out from the lowest earth-state, and arise to the highest heavenly state, that they might pass through all changing scenes and study all truth and law, from the lowest to the highest known to men and angels. In his ﬁrst lessons he can comprehend natural law, morals, intellectual science; and with the in- tuition of a seer can feel immortality strug- gling within him. Paul, under heaven’s own inspiration, gives us the key to unlock the formation of the ﬁrst 4: THE SHAKE_R heavenly world We are to enter, when he says : “ The invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made.” Or, in other words, the next higher state, which to the earthly man is invisible, is mapped out and fashioned like this. This be- ing the infant; that, the higher school of knowledge. Ministering angels reach down from thence to help all, who in this world cry for assistance. From this invisible source, sages, bards, seers and just men receive divine illuminations. Prophets, apostles, witnesses and leading messengers in God’s orders, from age to age, have been privileged often to stand face to face with higher, more advanced spirits from the better land. These messengers of progressive truth, from regions of light, con- solidated into heavenly form, have given to better men and women, beautiful revelations of priceless value to advance and raise up the race. God’s suffering children, through all ages, have joined hands with these messengers, and have been helped up step by step ’till they have with Abraham caught a view of the holier city which hath foundations; and as Daniel de- clared: “ Many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,” and arise to a holier resurrection by these heavenly visitations. WM. LEONARD. Social Life. A large number of persons who have visited Shaker Societies during past years, as well as the present season, have written lengthy articles, in which, from their own stand—point, they have striven to delineate the mode of worship, man- ners, habits, and life of the Shaker fraternity. Some of high intellectual culture, and pro- gressed spiritual ideas, have been candid in their statements, and as far as they had time and opportunity to gain correct information, were truthful and just, as historians. Others, less candid and more unprogressed, have failed to appreciate our efforts invthe work of moral and spiritual reform, and have sought, more to please the fancy of the novel—loving multitude, and pander to the tastes of the fashionable elite of the community, rather than to do justice to their own better feelings, or to those whom they ignorantly, if not willfully undertake to represent. But we observe, as old theologies give place to reason, and sectarian prejudice disappears, there. is not much controversy between the Shaker who reasons, and those Whom reason is shaking. Thanks to the pew- ers above—-—the good ministering angels, who penetrate with their candle of truth many a darkened chamber, arousing the latent energies of souls, ﬁlling them With new light and kind- ling a ﬁre that 'will eventually burn up the World in them. As the spiritual life of the believers is hid from the natural, superﬁcial observer, so also is theirisocial life a paradox, for both are closely allied, and belong together. It remains for those who have participated in the beneﬁts of this social, communistic life——who have per- formed the duties pertaining thereto, and who, by practical experience, know its worth, to speak concerning it. Our social interests demand that we build each other up in our most holy faith; that we L.....-. labor in spirit for divine power, for light and truth from on high, for new life, which bids us lay asidelthe death-garments of sin and heed the spirit’s voice that calls: “ Come forth!” Also, to devote our physical strength, unself- ishly to build up the new earth upon which the heavens must rest. “ Hands to work and hearts to God,” is our motto. This consecrated labor is sacred; whatever is done, should be done with the view of honoring God, having reference to the upbuilding of his work, and promoting his cause in the earth, by forming a humanitarian horne——a home for the body and the soul. Holiness unto the Lord is the inscrip- tion which everything should bear in the saint’s home. The beneﬁts derived from this social relation are many; friendships are formed that are true and lasting. In prosperity and adver- sity, in sickness and health they never fail. Those who are devoted to true principles, are also devoted to those who love and abide in those principles ; and they are as guiding stars through the journey of life, shining the most brilliantly when the storms of life are severest. Thus do We reap, by the relinquishment of the natural relationships of earth, a higher and more enduring substance of love, emanating from a fountain that is never dry; for from thence ﬂoweth “the river whose waters maketh glad.” V Some view the self-denying Shaker’sihome as drear and lonely, ﬁlled with disappointment; just as though the greatest amount of happiness is derived from self—indulgence! VVhen, in reality, that is the greatest cause of misery; and the source to which inharmony, unrest and sorrow may be traced. Carnal or unchristian pleasures ﬁnd no place in the social life of the Shakers. Many infer, from the fact, that as the marriage relation does not exist on the plane where we have chosen to dwell, every enjoyment, intellectual and social, is abolished. This is a very natural and unspiritual conclu- sion. We not only sing, “ I want to be an angel,” but we are working out the Angel character, so that we may sing and act as do the Ange1s—live as they live, and we ﬁnd no sadness in it——it is real pleasure! Social life among the Shakers is free and broad, bounded only by the law of chastity, which is not bondage, but freedom to those who from true principle seek the higher life on a spiritual plane. It is not strange that Celibates among the Shakers to-day, should be ranked with Celi- bates of the past, who were necessitated, in order to keep their vows of chastity, to seclude themselves in some recluse of the mountain, lonely cave, or gather within the cloistered walls of amonastery, wearing sad countenances —-fearing to smile, lest some unhallowed inﬂu- ence should creep over them. ‘ Not so with those whom resurrection power has baptized, and lifted up from the natural into the spiritual order. Innocence and simplicity form the credentials to this new spiritual home, as truly as to the desired, future home in the spirit spheres. Mutual condescension supports, and gives impetus to healthy action in the brotherhood and sisterhood, and we often feel that all of God’s unperverted creation rejoices with us in this pure,‘ harmonial home. The birds chaunt their musical lays, the mountains break forth into singing, and the little hills rejoice on every side. The heavenly messengers, who guide and guard this goodly heritage, are seen “leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills,” and we fear not to leap and skip With them. “ O, for a thousand tongues to sing Our great Redeemer’s praise.” ANNA WHITE, Mt. L. ANIMADVERSIVE. Our leader, in Sept. No. 1871. has been the subject of much valuable criticism ; our object being therein, to urge the necessity of worshiping the Christ-princt pie, and not the person of Jesus; and to worship this )l'l11Cl])lC in whom. and wherever it is manifested. he critics have almost invariably concluded, with us, thnt.Jesus was not, but became the Christ-tlie first born of many Chi-ists—ou1' cxamplei-_: and Saviour only. as We follow his example. The following “child of promise,” from The Am.\S'pz'1‘1'tuaZ'ist, bearing on the same subject, is from the pen ofthat exalted spiritual- ist, J. M. Peebles. *‘ Jesus a Sinner! Religions originating in the past--all more or less ideal--rest upon the testimonies of tradi- tion. The credulous are the most devoted. In the ratio that knowledge increases, faith di- minishes. Those who know the most believe the least. The conﬂict of the ages is upon us. The dead, stoutly refusing to bury its dead, the mouldy yesterdays are in close battle array with the vigorous, out-pushing to-days. God or no God, Jesus or no Jesus, immortality or a dreamless nonentity—which ? This weird drama, involving the political, social and religious, is becoming deeply interest- ing. The tendencyjs towards the utilitarian. This speaking present, bristling “whys ” and insisting upon proof, demands the practical and substantial. All sudcessful religious movements must poise themselves upon principles and point to facts-—well-authenticated facts, as well as appeal to reason and sentiment. Men generally cultivate the reasoning and women the emo- tional side of religion. Right balance evolves high moral power. Jesus, a gentle, beautiful and womanly man, was a religious Jew. All religious systems of the past had their sacraments. Baptism in some form has ever been considered a sacra- ment. That distinguished writer upon “reli- gious beliefs,” S. Baring Gould, M. A., says: “Baptismal ceremonials include all puriﬁca- tions. The idea that man is held back from perfect union with God by his imperfection, uncleanness, sin, is widely diffused and mani- fests its existence by water, blood and ﬁre bap- tisms.” . The waters of the Ganges were believed to have a purifying effect. Under its rippling surface old and young were plunged. In . Egypt, proud of her Nile, the dead were washed from their sins by Osiris; and accordingly, upon Sarchophagi, Osiris is represented pour- ing water upon candidates in a kneeling posture, . just as they enter the land of shades. The Zend ceremonials of A the Persians abound in the uses of baptismal waters to wash away sin. “ Every puriﬁcation,” said Servius, “is made either with water, or with ﬁre, or with air.” Paul speaks of Israel as having been “ baptized in the cloud and in the sea.” Even the Romans practiced the rite of baptism; and Juvenal criticised and satirized those who sought to ‘ seemingly learn in no other school. THE 5 “ Wash away their sins by dipping their heads thrice in the Tiber.” Jesus, a Palestinian Hebrew, born subject to the requirements of the Mosaic law, must needs be baptized for purification and the washing away of sin, according to the Israelitish understanding of the ordinance. But, if he was not a sinner, why should he have submitted to baptism by water? Matthew says: “ Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all J udea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” Mark assures us that, “ John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” And in this wilderness John baptized Jesus in Jordan. Therefore, as baptism'was understood to be the “ washing away of sin,” it is clear that Jesus was a sinner! Nothing upon theological grounds could be more absurd than the baptism of a saint. Sinners, and sinners alone, were called upon to repent and submit to baptismal purifications, or the washing away of sins. Many scriptural passages besides these re- cording the impulsive “ sceurging of the money- changers,” and the rude “cursing of the ﬁg- tree,” point to the imperfections and sins of Jesus. The apostolic assurance that he should “ come the second time without sin unto salva- tion,” has some reference, at least, to his first coming as the “child that grew and Waxed strong”—-the child both -of promise and pre- natal tendencies. “ Call not thou me good,” said the Nazarene, “ none is good but one, and that is God.” Good and evil are rclationally opposite, evil being synonymous with imperfec- tion and sin. The New Testament further declares that Jesus “learned obedience by the things he suffered.” Obedience is the most effectually learned by disobedience. The child learns to keep the ﬁnger from the candle by first burning it. The suffering consequent upon violated law, is teaching both severe and sound. Some can “ He was made perfect,” writes an apostle, “through suffering.” The phrase “made perfect,” im- plies previous imperfection, and imperfectionis sin. He was also called “the first begotten from the dead ;” but how begotten from the dead unless h27m.seI “once dead in trespasses and sins ?” From the ‘recorded textual teachings that Jesus refused to be called “good,” that he scoiii-gs:(l the money—changers; that he cursed a ﬁg—tree; that he learned obedience; that he was made perfect; that he went to John to be baptized of him in Jordan, as did other Syrian sinners from Jerusalem and all J udea, “con- fessing their sins ”; there is no other legitimate inference than that he was a sisrmeI'——oui‘ elder brother and fellow-sinner, Jesus, “touched with our inﬁrmaties!” Mark well we have been treating of Joshua, the carpenter’s son, whose name, when Grecian- ized, became ..l»>.~r::.~:. l\'ol:. a word have we written of Jesus Chr27st. This opens a new chapter. The word Christ signiﬁes the Messi-‘i anic, the anointed, the consecrated. Christ, or the Christ principle, is divine. After Jesus was baptized, confessinr his sins, the “' heavens were opened” and the Clmlst spirit from the heaven of the C'h7'z'st angels, descended upon him, and a voice came saying, “ this is my be- loved Son, in whom I ‘am well pleasec .” N ow we have Jesus Christ “bur exainpler,” who ministered true love and sympathy. The ser- mon on the Mount stands out unequaled. Its burden is blessings; its inspirations love. To love those who love us is simply reciprocity, and may be prompted alone by policy. But to love our enemies»-to love and do good to those who hate us, is principle, is Christ—like. Thanks, then, be unto C'hrz'st, who giveth us the victory. God’s Will be Done. Say to the torrent : “ Stay then on the hill 1” The torrent replies : " I’m obeying God’s will.” Say to the rivulet, mnrmuring by : “ Be still for a moment!” and it will reply: “ I must not, I will not, I cannot be still, ‘-’ I must be in motion, and doing God‘s will!” Say to the sunbeam : "\Vithdraw thy bright ray "’ The sunbeam replies: “ God's laws, I obey.” Then say to the \\'hirlwind, uprooting the trees- To the hurricane raging, or the mild, whispering breeze-— To the river, the lake, or the ocean : “ Be still !” Their response is forthcoming : “ VV'e are doing Gpd’s will !" To the tear, as it wells from the grief-stricken heart-— Or, with joy overﬂows. as rich treasures impart-— How idle, how needless, how fruitless and vain, To say to that tear : “ Return thou again !” That tear, in the language of heaven, will say: “ Created I was, God’s laws to obey.” The vitals, which, panting for the life-giving air- The heart with its throbbings, and the sigh of despair; The deep pangs of remorse on the guilt-laden soul- lIow vain the endeavor, these things to control ! Those pangs, and those Vitals-\that heart and that sigh, In emphatic language, will surely reply: “ Unyielding obedience, by night and by day, “ To the mandates of God, we are taught, and obey!” From the smallest of insects, revealed to our sight ; Or the greatest of angels, in power and might—-- Or the earth in her orbit, the sun, moon or stars, Or great Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus or l\Iars—- All matter. all being, all spirit shall say: “ Forever the mandates of God we obey !” Then how foolish, self-righteous, irreverent in man, To think, in his wisdom, to better the plan ! Rather learn to be humble, to love and to pray- The laws of his Maker to know, and obey- To feel it his duty, his privilege, his sl1rine— To say: " Thy will, Father, be done, and not mine !” E. E. Fnosr. Progression. What does this word mean ? It means change from a lower to a higher condition. Politically, it means to leave behind old party issues and join hands with those who are the most advanced in the great principles of reform; and were we to predict, we would say that the party destined to rule America is that party who are the most progressive, and that party will yet be made up of the most progres- sive of all parties,without regard to sex or color. Progression is the spirit of the age and order of the day—-—to advance forward is the watchword ! T heologicarlly, it means to leave behind old stereotyped creeds of false religions, which had their origin in the dark ages, and which stand directly opposed to the increase of light and truth, which are dawning upon the earth. It means, that when we have considered the truth and meaning of any proposition, however new, if it tends to purity and is accompanied with the evidence and accords with our reason and highest convictions of right, we should implicitly believe and obey, however contrary it may be to our former opinion or that of others. llforally, it means to leave behind all bad habits, lying, fault-ﬁnding, back-biting, evil speaking one of another; all slander, proceed- ing from envy, should be laid aside. “ Thou shalt not bear false witness against they neighbor ” was a command in the Jewish decalogue, and should not be violated by those calling them- selves Christians. Spiritually, it means resurrection——a rising out of the ﬂesh into the spirit; out of the earthly into the heavenly ; out of darkness into light; out of ignorance into knowledge; out of the rudimental into the angel order; out of persons into principles ; out of the human into the divine ; out of malice and hatred into char- ity and love; out of sin and selﬁshness into a life of purity and holiness. Just in propor- tion as these principles are carried out practi- cally, mankind will progress into one universal brotherhood and an enduring peace. . This is what we call progression in the right direction. J. S. Pnnscorr. What do We Worship? EDITOR or “ THE SHAKER :” Mr ESTEEMED BROTHER IN CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP :——Re- eently, while re-reading the editorial in the September number of THE SHAKER, in which the question is put, “ Which shall We worship, persons or principles ?” I fell into the following train of thought concerning worship: If we ask, VVhat is worship? the answer would undoubtedly be : Gimng the heart’s strongest aﬁcctions to some object earthly or heavenly, human or divine. The element of worship is inherent in every human being. Objects of Worship are many and varied, from savageism to saintism. The pen of the historian has made apathway up through a labyrinth of strange experiences during the ages past; and aided by the reﬂex of present revelation, natural and spiritual, we are enabled to go back to our antecedents, and learn somewhat of their status, habits ‘ of life, and modes of thought, and thereby can measui'e the discreet degrees of growth, from point to point, or from cycle to cycle, in human progress. It is said that “ God created the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land,” and gave his decrees concerning them, and pronounced all very good as they came from his hand. “ The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork,” sang the sweet‘ psalmist of Israel, while he called upon the sun, moon and stars, the hills and moun- tains, rivers and streams, birds of the air, the ﬁshes of the sea, and the beasts of the ﬁeld, to praise God, all of which, in their turn, have been deiﬁed and worshiped by man. Is what we call idol-worship, Whether in the form of a molten calf, an image, sculptured from the rock, the sacred beasts and birds, or the sun and his satellites, the grossest form of wor- ship? Many of the heathen Gods were, without doubt, only symbols to the worshiper, pointing to a higher divinity; we will call them materialistic worshipers. .And, inasmuch as God pronounced the matter good which they afterwards converted into genii, perhaps it is not so much Wonder after all that they fell into error and displaced what God had put into \ 6 THE SHAKER. order, and made confusion in the elements, just as thousands of ignorant, undeveloped children have done, who did not comprehend their parents’ designs. It appears to me, that whatever uplifts tl1e spirit above the sensuous plane of thoughts and action most effectually, is the most worthy of the heart’s affections; and whatever leads to sensuality and those passions which God did not create, and never pronounced good, which are fed and strength- ened from the hells beneath, should be the most abhorrent to an intelligent, human soul. Some individuals are constitutionally more devotional than others ; thus it is with nations ; but, taken as a whole, We are all worshipers in some form. VVorship is a component part of our being; and all have an ideal god or gods, before whom to bow and pay homage. Not the lowest worship is that which “ sees God in clouds and hears Him in the winds.” In this enlightened age and nation, where there is so much freedom, expansion of thought, and religious culture, would we not spurn the idea of making brazen images for worship? And yet are there no sculptured works of art extant to-day, which are not only admired but worshiped? If the knee does not bend before them, the affections are placed upon them. How many, in our own time, eonsecrate their lives and give their power unto the god of war, and seek to satiate their ambitious desires by becoming heroes in battle! and with hands yet dripping in the blood of those who were inno- cent of crime, and had never done an injury to them or their country, but who were forced to the cannon’s mouth by the cruel mandates of the war-power—-how such will exult in their conquests, and the people throughout the length and breadth of the land, sing praises to them, and do them great honor! Where is‘ the Christian’s God while all this is being enacted ? Do we say that antagonistic elements have so convulsed the ruling powers of earth, that this is mercy’s means to establish justice and equity in the land; and that such mighty upheavings and earth—throes are for the puriﬁcation of the people ? Alas for humanity’s redemption, if it can only be wrought out by the sword! Again: Is not fashion the great Moloch of the day ? and at his altar do not all, from the prince to the peasant, how the knee and worship? Is not honesty, chastity, and integrity sacriﬁced there ? No matter how absurd and unphilosophical the fashion may be, those who are not found in it are contemned; and, rather than endure the scorn of those who revel in luxury and wealth, and crush with the weight of public opinion, they sell their virtue and go down to the chambers of death! And while the god of war and the goddess of fashion are so faithfully served; the ﬁres of sensuality will never be extinguished; the hells will be supplied with plenty of fuel to keep them burning! But while we look with deep pity upon those who, instead of standing in moral rectitude, on middle groundibetween the higher and lower spheres, are descending downward below “the beasts that perish,” we look with joy and hope upon a large band of earnest laborers in the ﬁeld of moral reform and spiritual progress, who are putting forth their best energies to better the condition of humanity. The hosts, who inhabit the spirit rea.lms, are marshaling their armies, and preparing to do battle on the higher plane of spiritual truth; not with carnal weapons will they be found ﬁghting, yet by the aid of spiritual power they will conquer. Ascending scales are already placed by the united effort of men and angels, which reach from earth to heaven. Thousands of hands and hearts are reaching up to angel spheres, “Give us food that perisheth not; clothe us with robes such as angels wear, even virgin purity, at the expense of all thoseezvorldly lusts which war against the soul’s peace, which have myriads of worshipers.” While they reach upward, God’s ministers of love are reaching down to clasp their hands and lift them up to higher and still higher degrees on the upward scale; that they also may in turn become ministers of saving power and grace to other souls; and as they rise into the etherial and divine elements, the clearer and more per- fect their vision becomes, and the easier it is to comprehend the great Cause of all causes, who dwells in the most interior heaven of all hcayens, and is the central sun from which alllight and truth radiate and to which all converge, there the true God is worshiped in spirit and in truth. A. DOOLITTLE. Heavenly Love. crying : When man woke to life, from the plastic clay, he was but animal; when God breathed into his nostrils the breath of love, he became a living soul. Without love, man would have been a savage, and the earth a wilderness. Unrestrained by its benign inﬂuence, his bad passions would have become lawless deprada- tions upon earth, and the harvest of death, through man, would have kept pace with the harvest of life through his Creator. But, thank God for the gift of His spirit of love, to soothe and restrain the perverse instincts of man’s nature. As the planets, with all their fearful velocity and awful momentum, are yet held, by the silent force of the sun’s attrac- tion, within the path markedrout for them by Deity, so with the bad passions of man; they are subject to the law of love, and, however wide the sphere of their departure, they can- not resist her inﬂuence, and will yield, even at their aphelion, to the omnipotence of her con- trol. T’ In the physical universe the law of gravity is not more illimitable in its empire, nor more universal in its controlling inﬂuence, than the law of love in the universe of sentient exist- ences. Wherever being is, or space unfolds, There love exists. inspires, controls. “Then the morning stars sang together for joy, love was there, as she will be, when their requiem is sung—ruler of the spheres. All that God has ever made, loves and does him full reverence, save only man. Love is man’s only entirely unselﬁsh at- tribute. He may be honest from policy; be- nevolent for the relief of unpleasant sensations that wretchedness awakens; beneﬁcent for the glory following it; prayerful that he may avert hell, or purchase Heaven; but to love and cherish his fellow man as himself, is to be more than human—this is divine. » Love is a true friend that never forsakes us while God is with us. VVhen our horizon is overshadowed with darkness, there will love be to give each cloud 9. silver lining. Love with us, our star of hope shall never set, nor our skies ever be without the bow of promise! VVhose love rules, the skies are all serene; with moon and stars brightly shining, as the greater and lesser angels that proclaim the glory of God. VVhen hate usurps, then ﬁerce winds, dread thunders, red lightnings ﬂashing, hold fearful revelry. Love is day, bright, beautiful ; hate is night, chaotic, fearful; love is life, glorious, immor- tal ; hate is death, impenitent, terrible; love is the tropic with its balmy breezes, spicy groves, sparkling fountains, singing birgls and golden skies ; hate is the poles with their icebergs and frozen solitudes, where the sun never rises, nor darkness ever sets. To love only those that love us, our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters and friends, is purely selﬁsh, and wholly human; to recognize all mankind as our brotherhood, is Godlike; the one is the genial Warmth 01 the domestic ﬁreside, diffusing cheer and solace to ourself, family and friends; the other the sun-— ﬁt emblem of its Creator——-dispersing light and heat to cheer and solace the whole human race. To love those only who are lovely or ad- mirable, is equally unchristian. VVe must love all, and most especially those who would most proﬁt by our love. lVherever love will encourage the timid or reclaim the backslider, warm the cold, or melt the stony heart, hu- manize the savage, or christianize the moralist, there is the place, then is the time, and those are the proper objects of our love. Love is the mightiest of all magicians. At her touch the lion becomes a lamb; the stubborn rock gushes with sweet waters ; the dumb speak; the deaf hear; the blind see; the desert buds and blossoms an oasis of beauty, and man and angels rejoice that Jesus died not in vain. God made happiness, and the only conditions on which it is attainable; and man might as well attempt to stay the comet in its ﬂight, as to attain happiness on any other terms. God’s law of happiness is love. W'aken the illustrious tenants of the tombs; the renowned lawgivers ; the all—co'nquering he- roes; all who worshiped at the temple of fame, and they will tell us that the dazzling heights they had attained above their fellow men, only enabled them to observe, the more conspicu- ously, the road to happiness they had so vainly sought, winding through lowly valleys down beneath their feet. They had toiled from youth to age for fame as the most certain means of happiness, and died broken hearted, that they had lived in vain——in vain because they had only learned how to use, not love their fellow men. Their dearly-bought fame, like their shadows, followed them only to the tomb, and disappointment is the only epitaph upon their monuments that the touch of time has not obliterated! Love has a magnetic atmosphere of its own, that attracts to itself everything good and pure, and repels everything unholy and im- pure. In the presence of one ﬁlled with pure, heavenly love, we cannot but feel its inspira- tion, and become better by its inﬂuence. THE SHAKER . '7 Jesus did not convert his followers by his eloquence, but won them by his love. When he spoke to them, with the force of reason, of their lost condition, they only feared him; when he spoke to them With the power of love, they adored him. In the ministry to his fellows, love is the only agency conﬁded to man that is irresistible in its force, and infallible in its operation upon the human heart. Armed with this, he goes forth a conqueror, and doubts ﬂee before him as darkness before the rising sun. Like calorie and electricity, love permeates all things—no heart so hard but it will pene- trate—-no spirit so stubborn but it will subdue. Steel and gunpowder may kill the body, but cannot harm the soul; they may subjugate, but cannot reform; they may afflict, but love is the only power that can save the world. If we would that our pathway through this world be one of pleasantness and peace; that our every pulse shall throb with joy; that all the golden hours that may come to us here shall be laden with happiness; if we would that our eyes be opened that we may see, and our ears unstopped that we may hear the angels of light, as they sing the songs of the redeemed around the throne of God, then let pure, heavenly love be and abide with us, and become our guiding star to the better land—-from the spheres of the lustful and unregenerate. E.’ T. LEGGETT. Love to God. “ VVith all thy heart.” Love is natural to the human heart. Ex- tremely diﬂicult is it, if not impossible, to ﬁnd an individual that does not cherish affection for some person or thing. It matters not into What paths of error and sin one has strayed, there is still in the inmost soul a spot that is capable of being affected by the sweeter emo- tions. ls it necessary to refer to more than one example to prove this statement? Can the gall of hatred be more intense in bitterness than that engendered by religious bigotry? And yet, when indulged in to its utmost limit, its innocent victim recognized, by his prayer for the forgiveness of his murderers, pleading their capacity for something infinitely better. Love is as varied in its kinds as the indi- viduals who exercise it, and of every possible degree. How strong is the affection of some mothers for their children!_ They are ready, at all times, to sacriﬁce their own lives for the welfare of such. But in others how weak the tie that binds them to their offspring! What indifference to their Welfare, if not positive aversion towards them! And yet these same parents will exhibit an enthusiastic admiration of a dress, a ﬂower, or apiece of music. It is said the celebrated Madame de Stael could pass through a country of the most enchanting natural scenery, without being attracted in the least by its loveliness. And yet she was a woman of wonderful natural endowments, and of great culture. She possessed a. love of the beautiful, but it was that beauty which is dis- played in man rather than that which is without him. Intellect possessed charms for her that external nature did not; and she could be enthusiastic over that which pertained to hu- manity-—-its antiquities, its literature of all kinds, its past history or present condition. Love will increase by cultivation, not in the same degree in all, for there must be recognized a natural difference in the faculty of loving possessed by different persons as in everything else pertaining to human nature ; yet it will “ grow with one’s growth and strengthen with his strength,” if carefully and constantly cher- ished. It is often very feeble in its manifesta- tions, and its possessors, instead of - fanning into greater life the p11re ﬂame, allow it to be- come wholly obscured by carelessness, or else, by their excesses, to degenerate into that which is altogether unworthy of the name. “Love suffereth long and is kind,” but that which is allowed to take its place soon changes. to aver- sion and hatred. Genuine love, is free from every taint of impurity, and those who possess it in its fullness “love each other with a pure heart fervently.” Love always has g0a.dne.9s as its supreme object; hence God, who is love, is the Sn- premely Good. The human heart that is im- bued with love cannot fail to love the Infinitely Good. It recognizes God everywhere, and adores him with an unerring instinct as well as with the force of the highest reason. It per- ceives the Adorable in created beings, especially in such as by increasing culture exhibit the divine traits in their greatest perfection, whether physical, intellectual or moral; and in loving them, love the Divine. It perceives him in the various divinely established relations—father, mother, sister and brother; but especially where these relations, by the purity and per- those subsisting in the eternal abodes. It sees him in the outward universe——in the unnum- bered worlds that move forever around and among each other with so nice adjustment; in the sublimity of mountain scenery; in the beauty of ﬁeld and forest, lake and river, tree, shrub and ﬂower; as well in the varied sounds that charm the ear, the colors that delight the eye, or the fragrance that pleases the sense of smell, as in those things that appeal to the in- most faculties of the soul——purity, truth, meek- ness, kindness and benevolence. The emotions enkindled by the contempla- tion of such things are all of a joyous nature. Love is joy to the soul. It is quietness and assurance fonever. There is nothing in it de- basing, but that which is perpetually elevating. It changes from glory to glory by the inspira- tions of the Divine Spirit; so that its first degrees, or the feeble ﬂickerings of its primi- tive light, become lost in the splendor of that which succeeds them, and which will forever succeed; for love to God, who is inﬁnite and eternal, must be perpetually increasing, and the soul whose love at ﬁrst seemed weak and variable, will, ultimately, by constant growth, become strong and unchanging in love as God himself, so that he could no more transgress the divine law, or fall short of its requirements, than he could annihilate a world. Such is the nature of Christian love, that which was manifested by Jesus Christ while upon the earth, and which has been experi- enced by multitudes who have followed him in the regeneration, or the new life of love. This manency of the connecting ties, shadow forth‘ love is consistent with everything that is ex- cellent in the universe, and is incompatible only with sin. “All things are yours,” is the emphatic language of the Apostle addressed to Christians. All things, whether on earth or in heaven; for he whom they love with un- ceasing adoration has all things in himself—an inﬁnite store-—which he bestows with unstinted hand upon such as are “made partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lust.” W. H. B. Religious Organization — Shaker Homes. A retrospective view of past eras shows that erring humanity has wrought much in bar- mony in the world, and builded that which must be pulled down and cast away to give place to something better, more enduring, as the race advances to more progressed condi- tions. ‘ The past has had its prophets and prophet- esses; with eagle eyes they pierced the future; and while their hearts were touched a.nd quick- ened by inspirational power, they foretold the coming of a day when the Highest would be- gin to show his city which in the Apocalypse is called the New Jerusalem. God’s city, builded in the heavens, coming down from Him to earth, “ where discipline should be kept in peace,” and the sound of war would not be heard, and wherein Wisdom would hide his treasures from the carnally wise and sensually corrupt, and reveal them to the pure in heart, and the meek should possess them. And the Apostle Paul, by faith, saw a perfected, organized body, having one Lord, one faith and one baptism, in perfect unity of feeling, having progressed beyond the childhood con- dition of being tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine; a body having many members working effectually for the increase of the whole, inone ﬁtly joined compact. Such an organization, founded upon divine revelation, is beginning to be known, and as in the harvest the wheat of the husbandman appears, so in due time God is revealed as Father and Mother. N 0 longer we cry Abba, Father; now, true, legitimate sons and daugh- ters are brought .forth and commenced to build the New Jerusalem according to the pattern formed in the heavens. The lessons of past ages have not been wasted. The present is a time of deep searching and inquiry, and to a great extent, of religious aspiration; and thou- sands are positive dissenters from all popular creeds, and are seeking for an organization that shall combine the eﬁciency, purity and simplicity of the true church of Christ. The light of divine truth is shining upon humanity, and a spiritual power is at work that will shake the false systems that man has builded. Those who inhabit the New Jerusalem, or Shaker Order, must leave the old, and become new creatures in Christ, having their affections placed on things above—forsaking the acciden- tal or partial relationships of earth, and form- ing the perfect Christian character by living like angels in the resurrection heavens. The ties and affections which bind kindred relations together on the natural plane, are good and 8 THE SHAKER. useful in their place ; but that which was even once glorious, by the law of progression ceases ' to be glorious, as that Which is freedom to-day may become bondage to-morrow. The spiritual elements are full of signs, which give promise of a greater fulﬁllment of prophecy than has yet been given—-“ the heavens hast- eth ”—the angels work, and mortals must work. The spirits call for more of the angelic, less of the Adamic. Vile‘ need to learn to “ dwell in everlasting burnings,” until self- pride and all that is not godly and true is con- sumed in the soul. Those who learn to praise God in the ﬁres of truth, will become so puri- ﬁed and reﬁned as to reﬂect the image of the puriﬁer. Such, whether on earth or in the spirit spheres, Will form a heavenly home of peace, founded upon eternal principles. JANE KNIGHT. The Shakers. PAST——PRESENT—-FUTURE. Shaker life contains nothing so mysterious but which can be fully understood by its sub- jects. It makes no promises of rewards, nor punishments, excepting the effects of practical life as led by mankind in particular. V/Vhoever can look for the just recompense of their doings, without that , expectation of favor, mythical theologians instruct, are men of reason, far removed from superstitious, man-made creeds. And this class have made, are sustaining, and are ripening to sustain, the Shaker Order. In the autumn of 1776, a half~dozen individ- uals, from England, entered the wilderness of W'atervliet, N. 37., built their log house, and began a life of religious communism, similar to the primitive Christians, relying upon direct communication from the angel-spheres for the knowledge how to do and to be. They had a testimony to impart, that they knew would be very unpalatable to all, except- ing those who had become so thoroughly dis- gusted with sensuality, and who felt themselves lost to all spirituality ; with no hopes of gain- ing power over that nor improving in this by adherence to the theologies of the times. For- tunately, of this number, there were a few. The times seemed unpropitious for their mis- sion. ‘War was uppermost in the minds of the people. Their gospel taught purity and peace; and those who, from religious motives, would not ﬁght, were despised, fully as much, as are those in our times who will not marry from the same motives. Since the days of Jesus, the World has never seen a Church begin and Sue- ceed, which had so little Worldly sympathy, nor Whose future seemed so full of despair. This “little ﬂock ” boldly enunciated their testimony—which, cutting keenly those de- sires worldly people love best, raised a storm of persecution; and, for years, they suffered abuses that the people of to-day would hardly believe. The Church grew. Its’ adherents were a noble class of people, religiously in- clined——from that class that were “ poor in spirit” and in temporal things. By united efforts, industry, and complete trust in Provi- dence, they soon had a competence, and in less than thirty years inaugurated ﬁfty or more communities, or large families, containing more than a thousand persons, with real estate ex- .__\_ ceeding a million of dollars’ value. Their object was two-fold : First, the accomplishment of their own salvation, beginning with their thoughts and feelings, and continuing to the ends of their ﬁngers-—-and they found much salvation Worked out at their fingers’ ends. Secondly, they determined to found institutions where those, who were overtaken by the same convictions as themselves, could gather together and more successfully achieve the practical results of the cross—-Salvation. To the Shakers of the past, run SHAKERS OF THE PRESENT owe a wonderful debt of gratitude. Counting back ﬁfty years, and those things that were necessarily neglected, in order to establish homes for the body as well as paths for the soul, began to appear as possible and necessary. Schools for mental discipline began to assume an importance, second only to those valued sea- sons-—deep labors for the puriﬁcation of the heart. Still the same motto is held now, as of yore: “ Seek first the kingdom of God,” before expecting “ aught else should be added.” And could our ancestors have gained for us, an advancement of soul equal to the homes they have provided for us (and this anti-christian idea, “ Jesus paid it all, ete.,” is very preva- lent), then we might, long since, have added many things which those not of us complain because we have not, and do not realize the Wherefore. VVe have, unreasonably, been charged with despising progression into the arts and sciences of the day. “ Have you libraries, pianos, Greek, Latin, and aesthetic literature and manners?” is the very common‘ inquiry! But, “What is your soul-advancement E” is abroad, begging investigators! Little as we have progressed into music, letters and arts, we yetrealize how true it is, these things do not bring puriﬁcation——it is “the spirit, Christ, that giveth life !” and other speciﬁcations of educa- tion are secondary, and we have an eternity to acquire them; we never expect to die! lVe are, at times, the subjects of a withdrawal of spiritual light; the present is such a season with the Shakers; but as surely as morning succeeds the night, and spring the winter, so surely do we know an increasing light is at hand. lVe need not half the faith, fortitude nor endurance our spiritual ancestors had, for /with our very favorable surrounding comforts We can “ wait upon the Lord ” in all conﬁdence, though many have permitted their lights to grow dim, and themselves “to

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