Part 21 (2/2)

”In the Church of Christ and Mother, Carnal feelings have no place; Here the simple love each other, Free from ev'ry thing that's base.

Therefore when the flesh is named, When impeachments fly around, Honest souls do feel ashamed-- Shudder at the very sound.

”Ah! thou foul and filthy stranger!

What canst thou be after here?

Thou wilt find thyself in danger, If thou dost not disappear.

Vanish quick, I do advise you!

For we mean to let you know Good Believers do despise you, As a dang'rous, deadly foe.

”Dare you, in the sight of heaven, Show your foul and filthy pranks?

Can a place to you be given In the bright angelic ranks?

Go! I say, thou unclean devil!

Go from this redeemed soil, If you think you cannot travel Through a lake of boiling oil.”

In those earlier days, as in these, idle persons seem to have troubled the Shakers with the question ”What would become of the world if all turned Shakers,” to which here is a sharp reply:

”The multiplication of the old creation They're sure to hold forth as a weighty command; And what law can hinder old Adam to gender, And propagate men to replenish the land?

But truly he never obey'd the lawgiver, For when the old serpent had open'd his eyes, He sought nothing greater than just to please nature, And work like a serpent in human disguise.”

”Steeple houses” are as hateful to the Shakers as to the Quakers and the Inspirationists of Amana, and they are excluded in an especial manner from the Shakers' Paradise:

”No sin can ever enter here-- Nor sinners rear a steeple; 'Tis kept by G.o.d's peculiar care, For his peculiar people.

One faith, one union, and one Lord, One int'rest all combining, Believers all, with one accord, In heav'nly concert joining.

”Far as the gospel spirit reigns, Our souls are in communion; From Alfred to South Union's plains, We feel our love and union.

Here we may walk in peace and love, With G.o.d and saints uniting; While angels, smiling from above, To glory are inviting.”

Occasionally the book from which I am quoting gives one of those lively brief verses to which the Shaker congregation marches, with clapping hands and skipping feet; as these, for instance:

”I mean to be obedient, And cross my ugly nature, And share the blessings that are sent To ev'ry honest creature; With ev'ry gift I will unite, And join in sweet devotion-- To wors.h.i.+p G.o.d is my delight, With hands and feet in motion.”

”Come, let us all be marching on, Into the New Jerusalem; The call is now to ev'ry one To be alive and moving.

This precious call we will obey-- We love to march the heav'nly way, And in it we can dance and play, And feel our spirits living.”

In the newer collection, ent.i.tled ”Millennial Hymns, adapted to the present Order of the Church,” and printed at Canterbury, New Hamps.h.i.+re, in 1847, a change is noticeable. The hymns are more devotional and less energetic. There are many praises of Mother Ann--such lines as these:

”O Mother, blest Mother! to thee I will bow; Thou art a kind Mother, thou dost teach us how Salvation is gained, and how to increase In purity, union, in order and peace.

”I love thee, O Mother; thy praise I will sound-- I'll bless thee forever for what I have found, I'll praise and adore thee, to thee bow and bend, For Mother, dear Mother, thou art my known friend.”

Or these:

”I will walk in true obedience, I will be a child of love; And in low humiliation I will praise my G.o.d above.

I will love my blessed Mother, and obey her holy word, In submission to my elders, this will join me to the Lord.

”I will stand when persecution doth around like billows roll; I will bow in true subjection, and my carnal will control.

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