Shakerism Unmasked Notes

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Overview	Preface	Chapter 1	Chapter 2
Notes	Downloads

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¹ Cesarian section or operation, also called hvsterotomia and hysterotometocia. It is the operation, whereby the feotus is extracted from the uterus,, through ,tbe tegument of the abdomen. Vide Institutes of .Surgery, 5, 113; also Mem de 'l Acad Roy, Chirur, Vol. 1, p. 629:11, 300. Edinburgh medical essay, vol. 5 article 5, page 467-the latter more particularly.

² Under the Statute 26, George 2nd, chap. 33; these marriages did not free their children, from the imputation of illegitimacy, but, to have the marriages valid, they must be performed by the priest, and celebrated "in facie ecclesia" or in presence of the Church. Blackstone, Vol. 4. 425.

³ See Sir Richard Bulkley's "Answer to the several treaties on the subject of the new prophets," also the warnings of John Lacy.

⁴ Under the law of Religious imposture, Blackstone, vol. 5, 62. chap. 4. 7.

⁵ As it is politically essential, that the shakers should represent, and if possible, establish the character of the French prophets, as divine, (not that I would doubt the respectability of their society and order,) but I am led considering the history of the prophets and their conduct, which, by evidence, is firmly substantiated, to suppose that the very ingenious plea of the Shakers, for the prophets, contains more ingenuity than veracity.- In the introductory remarks to their "Millennial Church," they attempt to defend the conduct of the prophets, by a long and ingenious argument.

⁶ The circumstance being attached to a religious cause, and from the prejudice with the Shakers makes this, and stories, in reality more credible, have excited against them; will not be credited. Not that I support the assertion, as miraculous; but I will adduce a story from which may be inferred, that this circumstance may be credited and supported on a natural, but not supernatural position. When I was about 15 years of age, I was on board the ship Mary of New York, and during the voyage; after our departure from Liverpool, we struck on Bellewater rock, off the harbor of Belfast, and before we struck, the ship being old, was very leaky; but after she came off, which was the next tide, she was perfectly tight, insomuch, that she produced bilge water. This, perhaps, was the interposition of divine providence, but I should rather think it was the natural result of the action of the vessel, concurring with an extraordinary circumstance, than any miracle performed to distinguish any person on board, as the society aim to represent in relation their story, which I give merely to please the reader. The ship in which I was, after a few days began to leak again.

⁷ In a meeting, held in New Lebanon, at this time, the Elders had a "gift" for the brethren to crow. The principal part of the meeting, acted in conformity with the Elders' orders; but a youth, by the name of Bishop, was obstinately, opposed to the "gift," and declared he would not unite. His grand-mother, full in the faith, and believing the penalty of disobedience to the Elders, to be eternal death, said to her grandson, "now Asa, do crow a little, it wont do you any harm to crow." He replied in a surly manner, "I wont crow, I an't a rooster, and I wont crow." However, they kept the boy until morning, at last, the privation to which his obstinacy subjected him, forced him to a concession, and then in the air of pert triumph exclaimed; "I have kept you here all night, just to hear a boy crow like a rooster"

⁸ Conduct similar to this, has, of late, been performed in the Society. A private meeting was held for the purpose of displaying their gifts, as they consider, those on whom they are abundantly poured, or more properly, the best imitators in performing these pretended gifts the more advanced in the "gospel of mother," and in this meeting, an old man steps out, heaving his body and arms in a position, as would convey the idea, that he had some person by the knap of the neck, walking to the door bellowing out, attaching some oaths "out doors Devil." He then performed the action of kicking. After this meeting, some of the youth, pleased with the project, imitated the language which the old man used. Its peculiarity was observed in its true light, when used by the children, who were reproved for it, but they answered it was "Israel's gift" (meaning the old man's) "why did you not preach to him for it."

Though this conduct may show the corruption of the Shaker system, yet.we can not, when reflecting on human nature, charge the members with intentional or wanton obscenity, in affairs of this kind. The passions of this old man were wrought up to a pitch, which he was unable to suppress - he thought of the enemy, the devil, (and he might well suppose he was in the room, as the inspirator,) and to turn him out, he must. Thus far, has the imagination been enlivened, not only in minds, retroceding in to puerility; but in minds, professedly of maturity, in reason and judgment.

Their pretensions, to the gifts of the Apostles, exposes them to rebuke, and to support these, they are forced into many errors.

⁹ Their knowledge of human nature was such, as to concur in opinion, on this point, with Hume, who, in his essay on National Character, observes: "Nothing so much encourages the passion of love, as ease and leisure, or is more destructive to it, than industry and hard labor"

¹⁰ The contention of Paul and Barnabas, was, in this case, of but little effect as an argument, because they, (the Elders,) had taught a superiority over the mission of Paul and the Apostles, in the work in which they were engaged.

¹¹ Technic applied to the pugilistic art.

¹² Mr. Brown has mentioned, in his history, the misfortunes of Ann Lee some different from me, but I am partly indebted to him for this information above referred to.

¹³ What he here alludes to is, their dancing naked, striking each other, slapping, sweeping and brushing the devil out of one another.

¹⁴ There is nought, indeed, so much the spirits calm, As Rum and new religion." Byron

¹⁵ The Shakers in their "Millennial Church," /' p. 75, say, "But, unfortunately, there are many inconsiderate mortals to be found in every civilized country, who having no principle of their own, readily become the dupes of designing bigots, and by them are often urged to acts of violence, which would put even savages to shame." This discovers some knowledge of human nature, and experimentally delivered.

¹⁶ The Society declares that no change, as regards their principles has ever taken place since the foundation of the Society, but this is trespassing on truth, for they well know that they have; in the whipping of children in the most cruel manner, adopting new "gifts and order," &c. They defend themselves, concerning their change in manner of worship by this expression "we have long been convinced that a uniform course of religious profession, joined to a lifeless stupidity in divine things, cannot be well pleasing in the sight of God." We find, by the tracing the human character, that this change will point out the divinity of their system. In the first place, their worship is adapted to the passion, and in proportion as these are enlivened, they, considering these feelings to be religious; are happified. The passions are as readily surfeited as they are easily wrought up. It will be remarked that persons of quick passions, are persons of versatility, and that their passions and that their passions are, though vigorous, very brief.

Therefore, in proportion as their (the Shaker's) passions are wrought up, and kept engaged, they are happy; but as soon as these, begin to flag, and to settle into moderation, reason would begin to operate, and show them their delusion, and to avoid this, the Elders "feel a gift," to have a change in the manner of worship, and by this means the passions are kept alive.

From these remarks will be seen that it is nothing but ignorance of human character, that binds the members and craft in the Elders that continues their fetters. As instance of these " feel a gift" Shaker preachers, following the influence of their spiritual feelings, will be seen in the following account. An Elder commenced a discourse and attempted to expound the scriptures, but having entered the subject beyond his capacity, he turned and dropped a maxim; but his memory failed him, and he could not continue the subject, but says he, "I have lost my gift," and sat down. An unacquaintance with human nature in concerns of this kind, subjects a man to a great many errors.

¹⁷ It is a fact, that during her life, when she was riding out, her followers would run after her and cry out, "Blessed Mother, here is Blessed Mother." Some would run for several hours, shouting in this manner.

¹⁸ M. Dyer in her writings, represents the intention of the Shakers, on this point, perhaps from want of knowledge, entirely different from what they were. She says they were going to Jerusalem; it was not so. James Whitaker wanted to go to England.

¹⁹ This policy will be seen in the light: many members would in opposition to the welfare and temporal prosperity of the church, retain in their own hands, their property for the benefit of their children which would deprive the church of the use of it, and to avoid this, and to travel out of all respect to the ties of consanguinity and sociality, this was essential, so that the church would not lose by their separate affection.

²⁰ Speaking unknown tongues, and professing various divine gifts, which the tenor of their lives declare they cannot possess.

²¹ By Church relation, they conveyed the idea of being related in equality with the church of New Lebanon, by a similar mode of procedure. The families who had not gathered in communities were called Fleshly relations. They taught that those who were gathered in, experienced more of the way of God in a week, than those in fleshly relation could in a year, at the sane time the others might be Shakers.

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Source: Introduction and transcription by Bryan Wright

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