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I have great pleasure in subscribing myself a brother worker for promoting the cause of brotherhood of man.

Protap Chandra Roy.

[THE following communication was taken from the Woman's Journal and we are pleased to present it to our readers as a carefully and kindly written article. ED.]

SHAKERISM AND WOMAN.

The

and, in imitation of the early church,
they hold all things in common. This
Shaker Church was established more
than one hundred years ago, and the ba-
sis of their system is "separation from
the world, confession of sin, purity of
spirit, and a united inheritance.”
name "Shakers" was given them by
their persecutors as a term of opprobri
um, but was afterwards adopted by them-
selves. They are, it is seen, a strictly
religious organization, and they believe
that the Spirit of Christ is the same,
whether revealed through a man, a wom

Ann Lee is, to their minds, the manifestation of the Spirit of Christ revealed through one of the daughters of man,

SINCE the appearance of "The Un-an, or a child. The gospel taught by discovered Country" by Howells, there has been an unusual interest manifested by the world's people" in the Shakers and their peculiarly spiritual life. In A deeper work of the Christ Spirit, speaking of this novel to an Elder, he which was to come without sin unto salremarked that Mr. Howells had doubt-vation." less written as intelligently about his people as a person could who had drawn simply from outside observation. It is evident that the Shakers think they might be more thoroughly understood; and certainly any system can be better appreciated when studied sympathetically, and its purposes can be best known

from its friends.

In whatever light Shakerism is viewed, it should be interesting to all intelligent people as a phase in the spiritual devel

opment of mankind.

And if we look

beyond the surface, we perceive that these people did not leave the world's selfish joys for a mere whim, but from convictions which sprang from the depths of the soul and raised them above the ordinary prejudices of life.

Shakerism is believed by its advocates to be the ultimate or second Christian

*

On hearing, a few weeks ago, a sermon on "Chri t dual" by an able and interesting Elder, I was immediately struck by the progressive tendency of. his remarks. As shown by him, we saw contained, in the position woman holds in the Shaker religion, an enlarged From the idea of faith and justice.

worship they accord to Ann Lee, and
their faith in her "renewed revelation,"

springs a decided tendency to respect the
This extends
higher claims of woman.
itself into practical life, and makes them
believers in the highest development of
the intellect and soul of woman, and per-
ceivers of the need of the woman ele-
ment in politics as in religion, in public
as in private life. Being a comparative-
ly new organization, they have neither
the prejudices nor the infirmities of age,
and their eyes are not dazzled by the

church, its founder being Ann Lee, call-new light of philosophy.

ed by the Shakers, Mother Ann Lee, *Elder John B. Vance, of Alfred, Me.

That which is most interesting is the sistible something-a powe: ful charm, fact that back of their belief in the re-emanating no doubt from their life of generation of mankind by Mother Ann high resolve, a life where individuality Lee rises the great shadow of progress. is forgotten in the pursuit of truth. For There may be little in the quiet life of this reason it is true, that although the the Shakers to furnish material for his- Shakers may be seemingly limited in tory, but to the contemplative mind their scope, local in their influence, and small life must certainly afford food for as regards numbers, yet the ideas they thought. In their devotion to charities, have evoked will be inextinguishable. in their renunciation of all personal The seeds they have planted, the truths claim on the world's riches, and in their they have felt, must pursue and agitate life of celibacy will be seen strong aspi- mankind. They have declared in the rations towards a spiritual existence. loftiest way for the higher claims of These people endeavor to live according woman, and this spirit will assert itself to the strict teachings of Christ and Ann in spite of all reactions. Lee, and their life of devotion and sacrifice would seem to indicate that they all truth, but every intermediate modificome very much nearer "practic- cation supplies some link in the vast ing what they preach" than humanity chain. The impulse the Shakers have has generally succeeded in doing. given to the world is a spiritual impulse, and in it is contained the "prophecy of better things."-ZULEIKA.

Visiting their Sunday services, one is immediately impressed by their earnestness and fervor, so much so that their peculiar mode of worship, their dance and song, does not intrude upon your notice as you supposed so unusual a service would. On the contrary, you find yourself wondering why all worship is not conducted in this manner-such is the harmony of song, movement, and dress.

A picture of a band of Shakers chanting their precious tunes while marching to the slow, devotional music, and moving their upturned hands in gentle measure, is one not soon to be forgotten. Notwithstanding their reputation as ascetics, these people are decidedly social and genial, especially when among friends or people interested in their work. They are unusually intelligent as regards the questions of the day, and exceedingly interesting in conversation. above all, there is in the society of the more intelligent of these people an irre

But

No man, or school of men, can grasp

ASPIRATION.

CALVIN G. REED.

"How lovely are thy dwellings fair
O Lord of host, how dear
The pleasant tabernacles are
When thou dost dwell so near!"
-Milton.

YE messengers celestial
Dwelling in omniscient light
Of God's effulgent glory,

Peerless, incandescent, bright;
While on your heavenly mission,

Of a pure, unfathomed love,
To point the denizens of earth

To noonday spheres above;-
O, shed upon our vision,

Beauties of the world unseen,
Where living powers, real,
Beautiful, august, serene,
Pervade the amplitude

Of the etherean, boundless space,
With glorious, rich profusion,

Of true happiness and grace.
For these my soul lured upward,

Welling, gushing with desire, Would revel in the grand,

Substantial fullness, of these higher, Pure, sublimated, hallowed,

Love directed spheres of bliss, Eliminated from the

Errors and weaknesses of this; Its crudeness, darkness, dangers, Misconceptions of the truth,

And cumulative foibles

Of the era of our youth; With every machination

Which would twine around the soul,

To dim its keen perceptions

And its higher powers control;

And turn its aspirations

From heavenly truths sublime,

To seek its inspirations

In venal sense and time. Ye gracious powers eternal,

Of the glorious life divine, That with such God-like spirit, Heav'nward ye so nobly bear Each honest, anxious, toiling Pilgrim, toward your realm so fair, Dip your elysian pen in

Your imperial, cloudless light,
And on the tablets of our

Deathless understandings write,-
Or photograph, with brilliant tints
Of your empyrean sky,
And all the blended glories

Of your matchless home on high,
Upon the spotless canvass-

The pure, eternal, sacred roll, The clear unblemished picture Of the bright perfected soul, Just heir of fadeless glory

Within God's central zone,
Where nought but white robed angels
Can circle round His throne.
I long to feel the pulsing

Of this ceaseless flow of love,
Course onward in my veinlets
Perpetually to move;
Uniting me more surely

With the life that's good and pure, And the rich celestial graces

Which true happiness ensure. I seek a pure relation

With the noble and the true, Freed from the wild commotion

That so often meets the view Disturbing and corroding

The peace and sweet communion Which should be so abiding

A nucleus of our union. I seek elimination

From opinionated clamor, And all the vileful frenzy

Of wild theologic glamour.
I seek a pure religion

Worthy of the realms above,
Where brethren dwell together
In pure harmony and love.
Where each with each is striving
For the truth, eternal, pure;
In kindliness of feeling,

And the love that will endure.
I long to see the era,

Which the prophet's wise foretold, When man shall work by Reason,Not by tyrant fear controlled. When swords and spears are beaten Into implements of peace; And war and tumult banished

By the perfect reign of Peace.
When man hails not his brother,

Saying, come and learn of me!
For then shall the Instructor,
Be the God of Liberty.
Mt. Lebanon, N. Y.

What would become of the world if all mankind accepted the life of the Shakers?

JOSEPH WOODS.

THE above question is often asked by those not of us: they profess to be alarmed, lest the human race will become extinct, because a few individuals are called of God to the gospel of Jesus Christ; and realizing as did Paul, that they are numbered with those upon whom the ends of the world have come. What these ends are, James informs us, in the fourth chapter, and first verse.

These are making an end of sin by the sacrifice of themselves, holy, acceptable unto God, which, is our reasonable

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gate and broad is the road that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat.” So many, even, that we do not apprehend any immediate danger that the world will be depopulated, excepting by causes to which we shall refer.

service. Jesus said, "Behold I make all things new.' If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away. The old generative order of the first Adam has passed away with a great noise, and the elements in which the natural man delights will melt with fervent heat. The earth and the We now ask. What will become of works therein shall be burned, and a new the world if it continues to pursue its heaven and a new earth is created where-present licentious course for a few more in dwelleth righteousness. generations? According to the reports Our God is a consuming fire, a tire of the press and of eminent physicians that shall try every man's work of what there are many of the earth's inhabitants sort it is. Other foundation can no man at the present time so degenerated by lilay, than that is laid, which is Jesus centiousness that it would be impossible Christ. If any man build upon this for them to replenish the earth, their foundation of any other material than professed belief in the command given after the example of Jesus Christ, it to Adam, to the contrary, notwithstandwill be a waste of time and labor, and ing. according to the text, must be burned. One of the prophets speaks of a time when the inhabitants of the world will be burned, and but few men left. That does not seem very flattering to those who are so anxious that the earth should be peopled.

It may be the time of which the Lord "A fire is kindled in mine anger says, and it shall burn unto the lowest hell and shall consume the earth. with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.*

Possibly the querists might mitigate their fears by giving attention to what Jesus said: Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it; wide is the

*Hell, the lowest, unhappy state of mankind. Earth with her increase, is the natural generative order of man. Foundations of the mountains, are characters which the world look up to as great and mighty men; lofty in their imaginations, self exalted.

Again, we ask. What is to become of the world if the inhabitants continue to go to war? The last war of this republic which some call civil, but which we call very uncivil, sacrificed a million of lives, and now we have word from Egypt of many thousands of her subjects having been slain in the war with the false prophet. Is all this no cause for alarm lest the world should run out?

From whence comes wars and fightings?" Read what the apostle says on this subject in the fourth chapter of James.

Canterbury, N. H.

REFLECTION.

SHALL earthly wants prevail
Above the spirits need,
Or shall we trust our God
The earthly last, to feed?
Seek first my kingdom pure,
All things thereto I'll add,
We quote a premise sure
As given of our God.-M. W.

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