Show Shaker Sect Is Fast Vanishing Once Powerful Community Victim of Unscrupulous Exploitation New ew Lebanon N Y Y Fantastic rev re- re religious lous dogmas that forbade Insisted on absolute separation of the sexes and on equality of ot inheritance have thinned the ranks of a once onre i powerful sect the Shakers Only a n handful remain here at New I Lebanon anon where the ruling hOll body of Stinker Shaker elders once lucid forth direct direct- directing ing lag the destinies of nourishing flourishing Shak Shak- Shaker Shaker er communities along the eastern sell sea seaboard board sen-board board whose membership numbered thousands I Only a single Shaker colon colony remains at Lebanon Ohio at nt one time a stronghold of ot the sect Other colo olo colonies nies nits still extant but hut In pitiful contra contrast t tto to their theil former condition maybe may may- he be found at East Canterbury N II and Pittsfield Mass History of Sect Strange Annals of the sect are strong and colorful Under the leadership of James and Jane h In 1747 a group of ot Quakers whose religious tenor fervor caused them to twitch and tremble during services separated front from the main bod body and founded what the they termed the United Society of ers Belle In ChrIsts ChrIst's Second Ap Ap- Appearance The term Shaker Shaler first ap- ap applied ap applied plied In derision by y scoffers was later h the brethren accepted proudly hy by Dancing with which the accompany their religious rites Is de- de de described scribed as a n picturesque ceremony At Atthe Atthe the community house of worship after exhortation b by the elders the mules males of the congregation cong would form ranks rania In a n half circle according to size and age facing the women women- women who were ar- ar arranged ar arranged ranged likewise At a H II signal nal the choir would sing while tIle the ranks moved up and down swinging arms In rhythm rh rising on tiptoe and shaking or swaying from from side to side Shakers contributed much to Amer Amer- leas ica's trade In the carl early da days s 's Pos Pos- Possessing essing a reputation for prophecy and andrell rell religious lous foresight the Shaker com com- communities communities drew Into the fold the resi resl- resi- resi residents residents dents of surrounding neighborhoods who at that time time were were willing to give up their worldly belongings and live a alife alife II life fe of celibacy The community became not only sustaining but wealthy Shrewd Shaker farmers bought the best hest and richest t lands for the communities the Shaker workshops hum humming mint at broom I and furniture making their machin machin- machinists machinists invented the saw buzz-saw and machin-I machin mone money rolled In on the simple people Their furniture and other products became famous for soundness and appearance Exploited by Unscrupulous I Exploited h by unscrupulous leaders the strength of the Shaker colonies was dissipated as their wealth grew fervor or no longer flourished the binding tie that held all In the community was broken brokell the socialistic principle of ot equal distribution aban aban- a abandoned abandoned an Shaker e an evangelists began hean to en- en encounter encounter en encounter counter In gaining converts With the promise of abundance no longer held out people were skeptical skeptical cal of ot Shaker do doctrines tines The simple faith of Itself possessed no common appeal and thus the sect dwindled away |