578 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
August 24 
HOW IT IS DISTRIBUTED. 
Part III. 
We stated last week that the Shaker 
Communities are founded on the prin¬ 
ciples of property in common, and pure, 
unselfish lives in the individuals. The 
origin of the society dates back to 1689 
in France, when the “French prophets,” 
or the spiritualists of that day, held their 
meetings with visions and revelations. 
In 1774, one Ann Lee, who is credited by 
the Shakers with possessing supernat¬ 
ural pov\ ers, came to America with seven 
others and settled not far from Albany, 
N. Y., where they lived quietly in rude 
log huts. About 1780. a religious revival 
took place among the Baptists of Mount 
Lebanon. The pastor of this Baptist 
church found Ann Lee and her followers 
in the wilderness, and was so much im¬ 
pressed with their life and teachings, 
that he induced the members of his flock 
to follow him and found a new church. 
Most of these people were farmers. 
They threw all their property into one 
common center, and thus founded a com¬ 
munity of interests which has continued 
to this day. New communities were 
established from time to time, until now 
there are 15 located in eight different 
States with a present living membership 
of something over 1,000 persons. 
The first idea of the society was a 
religious order—an example to the world 
of a true Christian brotherhood, wherein 
all are equal. In starting, they reasoned 
that wrong, crime and misfortune in the 
world, are chiefly due to two main 
causes—the love of money and selfish¬ 
ness. The former, as has been said, they 
purposed to remedy by having all share 
alike so that there could be so such 
thing as class distinction or “ money 
power.” Selfishness they would wipe 
out by enlarging the family tie. Instead 
of having, as in the outside world, the 
family determined by the marriage tie, 
they would make all men and women 
who associated with them, brothers and 
sisters. In other words, they would put 
spiritual relationship above that of 
blood. The principles upon which their 
church was founded are celibacy or vir¬ 
gin purity, property in common, con¬ 
fession of sins, and separation from 
worldly things. 
The Shakers do not condemn worthy 
marriage among those who do not join 
their order. They simply say that it is 
not for them. Their objection is a re¬ 
ligious one. Christ, they say, lived an 
absolutely pure and sinless life. No 
man was worthy to be called one of His 
disciples until he made a perfectly unself¬ 
ish surrender of earthly hopes and de¬ 
sires—giving up all—laud, money, wife, 
children—all for nobler and higher 
things. 
In making this detailed statement, we 
are simply trying to give a comprehen¬ 
sive idea of the religious belief of the 
Shakers, for that has formed the basis 
of their success as a community. With¬ 
out their strict belief and its observ¬ 
ances, they could not have held together. 
In a general way, it may be said tnat 
they believe the Deity to be male and 
female. Ann Lee represents to them a 
second coming of Christ in female form. 
For ages, they say, woman was but the 
slave of man. The presence of Ann Lee 
on earth proved beyond all doubt the 
right of woman to claim equality with 
man in all higher and nobler things. 
Therefore, woman, in the Shaker com¬ 
munity, has the same rights as man, and 
is regarded as a full equal iu all ways. 
Briefly stated, the Shakers would sepa¬ 
rate mankind into two orders—the 
earthly and the heavenly—the natural 
and the spiritual planes. Those who, 
like themselves, leave worldly and self¬ 
ish things—casting aside the desires 
and ambitions which simply tend to de¬ 
velop and perpetuate the things of the 
earth, and devote their lives to pure and 
unselfish purposes are, in their opinion— 
members of the higher order. They 
separate from the world in order that 
they may the better live up to their 
ideas, and also present a clear-cut and 
living example of the advantages of 
holding property in common, and living 
simple lives of personal purity. 
So they have gone on for 115 years. 
Starting with these pure ideals, what 
has been the result—where do they stand 
to-day ? That is the question that has 
to do with the success of communism. 
It will be asked, IIow have their num¬ 
bers been kept up ? A great many child¬ 
ren are taken in—orphans or relatives of 
members. They are carefullv reared 
and educated, and taught useful occupa¬ 
tions. When they become of age, they 
remain or leave, as they see fit. Most of 
the young men, be it said, go away. All 
of them take the good example and sound 
principles of honor out into the world 
with them, and many, in after years, 
return sick and weary with fighting 
against the evil influences in the world. 
Often middle-aged men and women apply 
for admission. If apparently in earnest, 
they are taken on trial, and if, after 
learning exactly what the life means, 
they desire to continue, they may be 
taken into full membership. As evidence 
of earnestness, such members must agree 
to make over all their property to the 
community. It will not do for such a 
person to place his property in the hands 
of friends—he must give it without re¬ 
serve. He must also sign a bond that 
if he leave the community for any cause, 
he is not to take with him any of the 
property he put in, or to expect any 
return whatever for the labor he has per¬ 
formed. The courts have decided that 
such contracts will stand, and that a se- 
ceder from a community cannot recover. 
No husband or wife can leave an unbe¬ 
lieving partner to enter this community 
except by mutual agreement, unless the 
conduct of such partner would warrant 
a separation by the laws of God and man. 
No husband or wife who has ever aban¬ 
doned a life partner, may enter. Hus¬ 
band and wife have often joined the 
community and lived for years as brother 
and sister. A person, to join, must rec¬ 
tify all wrongs committed by him, and 
make a full and complete confession be¬ 
fore witnesses, of all sins. 
Founded on these principles, and con¬ 
ducted with honest purpose and good 
judgment, these Shaker communities 
have prospered. It is not known what 
their property is worth, but as far back 
as 1878, it was estimated at $12,000,000. 
From a business standpoint, there can 
be no doubt about the success of an hon¬ 
estly conducted community. The very 
organization gives increased power and 
force to any effort, while dozens of 
wastes and petty expenses are wiped out. 
All this is true ; yet in spite of their 
wealth and of their pure and peaceful 
lives, there was an air of melancholy 
spread over the village. Everything 
seemed neat and prosperous, yet there 
was something—a loneliness, we know 
not what—that seemed to brood over the 
scene. 
Were these people really and truly 
happy ? These vigorous old men and 
women, with their faces shining with 
contentment! These comfortable houses, 
with every convenience for catering to 
the simple needs of these quiet people. 
The certain provision for old age that 
took away all worry and dread for the 
future. The wealth that had come down 
to them through generations of workers. 
After all, what could one wish' beside ? 
Health, peace, a quiet life far beyond 
the average allotted to mortals, perfect 
assurance of love and care when too old 
to work, good friends and companions, 
and not enough worry to raise a wrinkle 
on a face ! What more could mortal ask 
for ? Is not this a heaven on earth, and 
should not these people be supremely 
happy ? 
Yet are they? Out in the world are 
thousands of hopeless toilers. Youth and 
skill have passed them by. The rich and 
the powerful thrive on their labor. 
Many of their days are passed in pain 
and bitterness. Old age has terrors for 
them when they stop to consider it. Yet 
with all their troubles and doubts, the 
little home with the loving wife and 
children, the manly hope that these 
little ones may, at least, see better times 
ahead, sustain them and fill their lives 
with joy. These things, so widely dif¬ 
ferent, make us hesitate before we set 
down the community as the ideal state 
of existence. There is a happiness in 
independence which somehow the mem¬ 
ber of a community does not seem to 
grasp. Possibly we people of the world 
do not know the higher plane of happi¬ 
ness that may be gained by self-denial 
and life for truer things. Let us look at 
the every-day life of the Shakers next, 
and see about that. 
“0LE0” FOR MILKMEN. 
8IIAME ON THESE FARMERS! 
In my trips into the market town about 
six miles from here, I have often noticed 
the floral decorations in the door yards 
of the many houses that line the road on 
either side, and I was struck by one 
peculiarity, which all of them seemed to 
have in common ; on either side of the 
walk, there would be posts in the ground, 
surmounted by a diminutive butter tub 
that would hold about 10 or 15 pounds of 
butter when full, and all bore the name 
of Woodlawn Dairy stenciled on the side. 
I thought to myself, my ! oh ! my ! but 
that dairy does a good business in this 
section ! In the grounds attached to 
these houses, in which flowers and vines 
were growing in the tubs, I noticed from 
one to three cows, as a general rule, 
grazing peacefully, and the most of them 
seemed to me to be in milk. It set me 
to thinking, so I began to make inquiries, 
and found that the small tubs were not 
butter tubs, at all, but oleomargarine 
(Continued on next page.) 
$li0cdlunc0U;6i ^ulvnlisinp. 
GIVE AWAY 
A Sample Package (4 to 7 doses) of 
Dr. Pierce’s_ 
Pleasant Pellets 
To any one sending name and address to 
us on a postal card. 
ONCE USED THEY 
ARE ALWAYS IN FAVOR. 
Hence , our object in sending them out 
broadcast 
- ON TRIAL _—. 
They absolu tely cure Si ck Headache, Bil¬ 
iousness. Constipation, Coated Tongue, Poor 
Appetite. Dyspepsia and kindred derange 
merits of the Stomach, Liver and Bowels. 
Don't accept some substitute said to be 
“ just as good." 
The substitute costs the dealer less. 
It costs you ABOUT the same. 
HIS profit is in the “ just as good. " 
WHERE IS YOURS? 
Address for Free Sample, 
World’s Dispensary Medical Association, 
No. 663 Mata St., BUFFALO, N. Y. 
j§ Is all the time you need in which || 
% to do your cleaning if you use Gold || 
|| Dust Washing Powder. 
51 famous preparation the 
H can also count on saving half her || 
% labor as well as half the expense 
H required when soap was used. 
With this! 
housewife K 
(Golddust 
| Washing Powder 
% is to the farmer’s wife what the 
mowing machine, the seed drill and || 
H other labor saving inventions arc to || 
H the farmer. Will you accept its ^ 
la rge i 
help ? Sold everywhere in 
packages, price 25 cents. 
Gold Dust Washing Powder has 
an additional value to the farmer for 
destroying insects. Send us your name 
and address and we will mail you an 
important booklet containing recipes 
for making kerosene emulsions, for 
spraying crops and trees and livestock. 
THE N. K. FAIRBANK CO 
Chicago, St. Louis, New York, 
Boston, Philadelphia. 
s ?rSngWATER PROOF™ tliSir* 
No RUST nor RATTLE. Outhutt (in or iron 
4 Durable .Substitute for Plaster on walla. 
Water Proof Sheathing of same material, the 
jest and cheapest in the market. Write for samples, An 
The FAY MANILLA ROOFING CO., CAMl>EN,iiJ, 
Can be applied by 
any one on steep or 
flat roofs. 
LOW PRICE! 
DURABLE! 
FIREPROOF! 
If you are going to 
build or have leaky 
shingle or tin roofs, 
send for sample 
and circular. 
A. F. SWAN, 
38 Dev Street. N. Y 
Fruit Culture, and the Laying Out 
and Management of a Country Home. 
By W. C. Strong. Illustrated. A guide to the 
culture of fruits suited to the owner of a home 
Considers the choice of location, preparation 
of the soil, how and when to plant, and gives 
a short descriptive list of the popular varie¬ 
ties of each fruit. Instructions iu pruning 
and cultivation, descriptions of diseases and 
insect enemies, with remedies, and a chapter 
on propagation, make the book complete for 
the amateur. Cloth, $1, postpaid. 
Fruit Packages. 
A description of the current styles of baskets 
boxes, crates and barrels used in marketing 
fruits in all parts of the country. How to 
grade and pack fruit. Illustrated. Paper 
20 cents. 
Horses, Cattle, Sheep and Swine. 
Geo. W. Curtis, M. S. A. Origin, History, 
Impi-ovement, Description, Characteristics, 
Merits, Objections, Adaptability South, etc., 
of each of the Different Breeds, with Hints on 
Selection, Care and Management. Methods of 
practical breeders of the United States and 
Canada. Superbly illustrated. About 100 full- 
page cuts. Cloth, S2. 
The Business Hen. 
This little bock is one of the most popular we 
have ever published. Every one interested at 
all in poultry, seems to want it, and to ap¬ 
preciate it. It gets down to the practical side 
of the question, and treats of the hen as the 
means of making a dollar. The price in cloth 
is 75 cents, but as the paper cover edition is 
exhausted, we fill all orders in cloth covers at 
paper cover price, while a new supply of 
paper covers are being provided. Price, 40 
cents. Sent to any subscriber for sending us 
one new subscription. 
The Rural New-Yorker, New York. 
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