sketch of the origin, past history, and present standing of that peculiar people who have been variously denominated, United Friends, Shakers, and Shaking Quakers; but who denominate themselves "The United Society of Believers."

Like most other sects of Christians, the Shakers claim close spiritual affinity with the apostles and primitive believers. They affirm that their mode of life is more in accordance with the teachings and practice of the early disciples than is that of any other branch of the visible church. With the primitive converts they repudiate war, slavery, and every social vice; they abstain from immoral companions and associations, and "have all things in common." They do not invariably declare that the apostles directly taught or practised celibacy-the fundamental of their faith and practice-but they believe that the New Testament lays the foundation of an order of things that must eventually establish this custom, and make it binding on all who shall claim spiritual alliance with Christ, and be of the first resurrection.*

They reject, as unworthy, the great body of Christians that lived after the Roman Empire was converted from idolatry, because that change connected the church. with civil and political affairs, with which, they contend, it has no legitimate affinity. They unite all the great bodies of the protestant Reformation with the papists, as members of the kingdom of antichrist, because they have all perverted the true object of Christian profession, and have made religion subordinate to temporal purposes and hopes.

They believe that the elements of the doctrines they advocate appeared in the "ascetics of China, Persia and India," in "the sibyls and vestals of Rome," and in "the self-denying Essenes of India." They affirm that these elements appear more clearly in those ancient Christian sects that bore the heretical names of Marcionites, Manicheans, Bogomilians, and Catharists; and still more

*See Appendix U.

clearly in those of a later date, styled Picards, Waldenses, Albigenses, Anabaptists and Novatians-particularly because these heretics, unlike the predominating sects, considered Jesus Christ as a pattern of piety and virtue, and not the founder of a temporal hierarchy.

They entertain a still stronger feeling of regard for the early Methodists, and especially for the Quaker sect, established by George Fox, because the latter repudiate oaths, war, litigation, and various other customs for which no warrant can be found in the New Testament.

The Shakers do not claim identity of faith with any of the above-named sects of "persecuted heretics," but regard them as witnesses whom God has raised up, from age to age, to bear testimony against sin and the reign of antichrist; a testimony that has been made perfect in their faith. They date their own origin back no farther than the middle of the eighteenth century, when their new light shone upon the world through the following singular circumstances.

In the year 1688 a sect arose in France called "Prophets," because they believed themselves inspired by the Holy Ghost. They soon became very numerous, and by their extravagant conduct excited much attention and exposed themselves to much persecution. In their worship they trembled, staggered, and fell down and lay as though dead. They recovered, twitching, shaking, and crying to God for mercy for themselves and for all mankind. When they were quieted in their bodily agitations, they began to prophesy. The burden of their predictions was, "Amend your lives; repent ye; the end of all things draws nigh!" The hills resounded with their loud cries for mercy and imprecations against the priests, the church, the pope, and against the antichristian dominion, with prophecies of the approaching fall of popery. Much that they said was heard with reverence and awe.

In the year 1706 three or four of these prophets went over to London, and carried with them their prophetic spirit. This mission of the prophets was the forerunner of Shakerism. It was attended with much excitement for

At

a time, without leaving any permanent convictions. length the attention of two persons was arrested,-James Wordley and Jane, his wife, who had belonged to the sect of Quakers, and who resided in the town of Bolton. Other kindred spirits gathered around them, and they had social meetings and religious worship, somewhat in the style of their forerunners, "the Prophets," without the adoption of any systematic creed, or mode or time of worship.

They expressed the firm belief that they should soon receive new light from some source, and that from a small beginning God would raise up to himself a cloud of witnesses, through whom light would beam on a world sunken in iniquity and guilt. A people actuated by such a faith, and ever surrounded by opponents ready to scoff and persecute, must suffer much anxiety and trouble of spirit. They, however, maintained their faith and its accompanying burdens, for many years; occasionally augmenting their little communion with converts from the world. About the year 1770 their long expected help came, in the person of one of their own converts.

This remarkable person was Ann Lee, who had joined them with her parents, in 1758, and who, after a probation of twelve years, became their principal teacher and leader.

She had been previously married to one Abraham Stanley, who had joined the new communion with his wife; but they now ignored the relations of husband and wife, and maintained that the time had come when the true witnesses could have no other family connections than those of brothers and sisters; that they could no longer 'marry nor be given in marriage." By her talents and influence she greatly increased the number of believers, and was received and reverenced as the Mother, or spiritual parent in the line of the female, and the second heir in the covenant of life according to the present display of the gospel. Hence she has ever been called by the believers Mother Ann.

Her success could not remain long unobserved and unopposed by the people among whom her lot was cast, and she soon fell into the hands of mobocrats whose tender mercies were cruelty. When assembled with her friends. ́on a certain day, in her father's house, for worship, the believers were beset by a tumultuous mob, at the head of which was the warden. The door was broken open, Ann Lee was seized and cast into prison. "The next morning she was taken from her dungeon and confined in Bedlam, or the mad-house, for several weeks, without any sustenance except what was, conveyed to her by putting the stem of a pipe through the key-hole of the prison door and pouring milk and other liquid substances into the bowl; this was done by one of the Believers.*

In the course of a few years such proved the harmless character of the new sect that persecution was suspended, and the Believers were allowed to worship God without molestation; still, like the Puritans in Holland, they wished for a larger field of operation, and to breathe the pure air of a legalized toleration. Accordingly, in 1774, "Mother Ann received a revelation directing her to repair to America; also that the second Christian Church would be established in America; that the Colonies would gain their independence; and that liberty of conscience would be secured to all people, whereby they would be able to worship God without hindrance."

Accordingly she, with eight of her followers, made preparations for their voyage, and embarked at Liverpool, May 19th, 1774, and arrived at New York on the 6th of the following August.

After two years of suffering, from sickness and poverty, the little colony was established in the woods of Watervliet, near Niskeyuna, about seven miles northwest from Albany, upon land which they had purchased for a permanent home.

The country was then involved in the war of the Revolution, but such was their retirement from the active

*See Appendix V.

concerns of the world that they were enabled to enjoy their faith in peace, and by frugality and industry work their way to the reception and enjoyment of the temporal comforts of life.

As one of their number hath recorded, "Here they waited with patience God's appointed time for the opening of the testimony of that everlasting gospel for which they had already suffered so much, and which, above all other things, was nearest to their hearts. Here they occupied themselves in improving their new settlement and providing for their comfortable subsistence; and here they held their solemn meetings and offered up their devotions to God full three years and a half, until the way was prepared for the commencement of their testimony to the world in the spring of the year 1780."

About this time there was a religious awakening at New Lebanon, a town situated some thirty miles from the settlement of Ann Lee, and some of the subjects of this revival visited the little family at Watervliet, and became interested in the Shaker doctrines and worship. Others followed in the same course, and the result was that many of the subjects of the recent revival became converts to the new faith.

After this Ann Lee, with her elders and friends, led a sort of missionary life, travelling in different states, and establishing societies of her faith wherever they could interest a sufficient number to give their testimony against "the root of human depravity," and unite their interests with the people of God. Among other places, the "Believers" held forth in Hancock, Tyringham, Harvard and Shirley in Massachusetts, and in Enfield in Connecticut, in all of which places proofs of their fidelity remain to this day, if the establishment of flourishing societies. can be regarded as a proof of fidelity.

Two years and three months were passed in this missionary tour, when they returned to their beloved home at Watervliet, from which the "Mother" went out no more. She, however, received great numbers of inquirers during