SHAKERS AND RELIGIOUS MUMMERS 245 



out of the way to give them room. It was not a dance, 

 but rather a gliding motion, accompanied by ridiculous 

 gestures of the arms and hands. The feet were raised so 

 little from the floor that the toes were but rarely visible. 

 The women uttered a few cries, and worked their features 

 convulsively ; but the most noise was made by the men, 

 and the uproar was simply brutal. They shouted and 

 stamped as badly as the rabble in a low theatre, and 

 several lashed themselves into a state bordering on furious 

 madness. The appeals to the Deity or His Son to " come 

 down " were incessant, and couched in terms that cannot 

 be repeated. 



Meanwhile the women, with one or two girls among 

 them, continued to glide round in a steady way, not 

 very fast, and with but little motion except with the 

 hands. I noticed that all the very old women took part 

 in this mummery ; and several kept their eyes closed, 

 finally falling motionless to the floor, where they lay for 

 some time. The time occupied in this ceremony was 

 about a quarter of an hour, and the whole proceeding 

 was inexplicable. I never learned the meaning of it, if it 

 had one ; and in reply to my inquiries I was told that 

 these women were under the influence of the Spirit, or 

 rather " in communion with Him," was, I think, the 

 phrase used. None of the men took part in this dance, 

 or whatever ; they call it ; but I quite expected to see 

 them stamp in the boards of the floor. I should have 

 noted that while the women were shuffling about, the 

 harmonium continued to play an indistinguishable tune, 

 resembling a dirge to my ears, but there was no singing. 



By the conclusion of this extraordinary manoeuvre, 

 John the blacksmith had quieted down, and was tickling 

 his nose with his little finger, hi the ludicrous manner 

 before mentioned ; an eccentricity constantly indulged in 

 by him when he had nothing better to do. Unfortu- 

 nately his eye caught mine as I was observing him, and 

 instantly he flew towards me, and seized me with such 



