| Show visit to the Sh shamera a ab lebanon springs 9 LF liaos SPRINGS monday aug 14 1854 I 1 left ahe springs 1 on sunday morning about 10 0 clock in in a stage on n a visit to the shakers the distance is about three miles over a very pleasant road of their own make at present the road is quite dusty dusky a as the drouth here has been very severe no rain of consequence having fallen for several week the meeting house is a large yellow building about eighty feet long by six it p wide without a all therein rein a and nd no galle galleries the floor boor is perfectly perte eUy clear except near the door where there are some seats raised as you go towards ti the apor forthe for the of visitors the service is is somewhat as folio follows ws the fer females nales enter at I 1 one door and seat themselves on plain wood Ix benches nelies without backs and the mm men do the i same saine on the other side of the house they are all dressed alike the men in blue pants and long blue jackets with white shirt sleeves and the women in long white while robes with lare lace caps for the head each having a large bordered baasel hanging over her arm they often remain seated on these benches for over half an hour in perfect silence with their hands crossed and I 1 believe are not allowed to whisper I 1 y or speak to another at a signal they all rise and remove the benches piling them in the cor corners ners and take positions on the floor facing each other then the orator of the day comes for fir ward and impresses upon the audience diance the solemnity of the lie occasion occasion and remarks that many come for the purpose of gratifying their curiosity and to see something that will amuse thern them in this th is he says they are mistaken but this is as it in kiy ty be those that have often witnessed the ceremony are no doubt impressed with some lings of solemnity but to a first visitor I 1 abot ot think it often affects him but more often gratifies his curiosity by its singularity after this discourse they sing sing a song to be sure without accompaniment but several of the voices are quite powerful and they sing ging in good time they then dance backwards and for forwards and turn and march around ohp alie room toom the men three by three one way and the women three by ahrea the other way all of which is I 1 done to tile the m music of the singers after the first which aich I 1 believe is dance comes the sermon vv always extemporaneous and then to conclude all they h have another dance which is is more inore lively than the firstin which they clap claf I 1 their hands and jump jurna up and downto down io to the great of those who have never before wit them the principal idea one is struck with on en I 1 tei heiing ing their village or houses is an air of cleanliness everything looking as it is saida said in apple appie pie order in the village there are two stores the principal one of which is kept by daniel hawkins who is the head of the village at A t these two stores are kept all kinds of wood abod and willow ware from a two shilling sieve up to almost any size clothes li basket asket the profits made imade on these things go to help their public fund feeg be des idea giang gw pg strangers sti angers some idem idea of abat they ean do they own an immense quantity ot of land most moat of which hid h is in a hi high it t tate of c cultivation and their herb manufactories manu factories and some of their barns are well worthy of a careful inspection viv which hili c it might be necessary to add they aie are willing every one should hold s make in all they are a most singular sect seat of people pe aeple and they are fast ade ing to iz their numbers nam berti and Q their lands and houses bouses are graan amongst ast the most valuable in iii the th e country I 1 |
