The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God (1984) - full transcript
Ken Burns examines the American utopian 19th century religious sect known as the Shakers.
Narrator:
"THE PECULIAR GRACE
OF A SHAKER CHAIR
"IS DUE TO THE FACT
THAT IT WAS MADE BY SOMEONE
CAPABLE OF BELIEVING THAT AN
ANGEL MIGHT COME AND SIT ON IT."
THOMAS MERTON.
Woman:
"ARE YOU FREE AS YOU ARE?
"ARE YOU IN ANY DEGREE BOUND
BY YOUR APPETITES, YOUR PASSIONS
"YOUR SELF-WILL?
"ARE YOU AT ALL IN BONDAGE TO
THE OPINION OF YOUR NEIGHBORS
"TO THE CUSTOMS
AND NOTIONS OF SOCIETY
"HOWEVER HARMFUL OR ABSURD?
THESE DO NOT TRAMMEL
THE TRUE SHAKER."
ELDRESS ANNA WHITE.
( cock crows )
Man:
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE SIMPLE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE FREE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE HUMBLE ♪
♪ YEA, BOW LIKE
THE WILLOW TREE. ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE SIMPLE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE FREE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE HUMBLE ♪
♪ YEA, BOW LIKE
THE WILLOW TREE. ♪
♪ I WILL BOW,
THIS IS THE TOKEN ♪
♪ I WILL WEAR THE EASY YOKE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE BROKEN ♪
♪ YEA, I'LL FALL UPON THE ROCK ♪
♪ I WILL BOW,
THIS IS THE TOKEN ♪
♪ I WILL WEAR THE EASY YOKE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE BROKEN ♪
♪ YEA, I'LL FALL
UPON THE ROCK. ♪
( cock crows )
Narrator:
THEY CALLED THEMSELVES
"THE UNITED SOCIETY OF BELIEVERS
IN CHRIST'S SECOND APPEARING"
BUT BECAUSE OF
THEIR ECSTATIC DANCING
THE WORLD CALLED THEM "SHAKERS."
THEY WERE ORDINARY PEOPLE
WHO GAVE UP EVERYTHING--
HOMES, FAMILIES
AND LIVELIHOODS--
TO PUT INTO DAILY PRACTICE
WHAT THEY CALLED
"AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANITY."
75 YEARS BEFORE
THE EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVES
AND 150 YEARS BEFORE
WOMEN BEGAN VOTING IN AMERICA
THE SHAKERS WERE PRACTICING
SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND SPIRITUAL
EQUALITY FOR ALL MEMBERS.
THEY BELIEVED
IN PACIFISM AND FEMINISM
FREEDOM FROM PREJUDICE,
NATURAL HEALTH AND HYGIENE
AND JOYFUL PERSONAL WORSHIP.
THE SHAKERS WERE CELIBATE.
THEY DID NOT MARRY
OR BEAR CHILDREN.
YET THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST
ENDURING RELIGIOUS EXPERIMENTS
IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
THEIR RADICAL VIEWS
WERE SO CHALLENGING
THEIR WAY OF LIFE SO APPEALING
THAT THE "WORLD'S PEOPLE,"
AS THEY CALLED OUTSIDERS
FLOCKED TO THIS
NEW AMERICAN RELIGION.
THEY ARE, IN MANY WAYS,
THE AMERICAN DREAM.
THEY ENCOMPASS
ALL OF THE IDEAS OF AMERICA--
ITS INDIVIDUALISM AS WELL AS
ITS COLLECTIVISM-- IN ONE AREA.
THEY EXPERIMENT WITH IT
AND THEY ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL
AND YET THEY ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL.
IN TERMS OF LASTING,
THEY PERHAPS ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL.
IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTE
THEY WILL CONTINUALLY
BE SUCCESSFUL, IN MY VIEW.
Woman:
"I SAW A LARGE TREE
"EVERY LEAF OF WHICH
SHONE WITH A BRIGHTNESS
"AS MADE IT APPEAR
LIKE A BURNING TORCH.
"I KNEW THAT GOD HAD
A CHOSEN PEOPLE IN AMERICA--
"I SAW THEM IN A VISION--
AND WHEN I MET WITH THEM
IN AMERICA, I KNEW THEM."
MOTHER ANN.
Narrator:
SHAKERISM WAS FOUNDED
BY A WOMAN.
SHE WAS AN ILLITERATE ENGLISH
FACTORY WORKER NAMED ANN LEE.
GUIDED BY DIVINE VISIONS
AND SIGNS
SHE AND EIGHT FOLLOWERS
CAME TO AMERICA IN 1774
TO SPREAD HER GOSPEL IN
THE FREEDOM OF THE NEW WORLD.
AT THEIR HEIGHT IN 1840
MORE THAN 6,000 BELIEVERS
LIVED IN 19 COMMUNAL VILLAGES
FROM NEW ENGLAND
TO OHIO AND KENTUCKY.
FOR A TIME,
THEIR EXPERIMENT WORKED
SERVING AS A MODEL
FOR THE WORLD'S UTOPIANS
AND PRODUCING SOME OF
THE GREATEST ARCHITECTURE
IN AMERICA.
TODAY, LESS THAN A DOZEN SHAKERS
STILL LIVE IN TWO
200-YEAR-OLD VILLAGES
IN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
THESE ARE THE LAST SHAKERS.
MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY
WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD
AND MY FATHER REMARRIED
AND MY STEPMOTHER DIDN'T
LIKE MY LITTLE SISTER AND I
BECAUSE SHE HAD
A BOY AND A GIRL OF HER OWN
SO MY FATHER EVENTUALLY
HEARD OF THE SHAKERS IN MAINE
SO HE PLACED US THERE,
AND I WAS DELIGHTED.
YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE THAT
THE SISTERS WEREN'T RELATIVES
BECAUSE THEY LOVED YOU.
THEY'D MAKE YOUR LIFE HAPPY.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU WENT
YOU FELT THAT LOVE, YOU KNOW
AND YOU KNEW THAT
WHATEVER CAME UP
YOU COULD GO TO ANY OF THEM
AND GET COUNSEL AND BE LOVED.
Narrator:
THE SHAKERS BELIEVED
THAT IDEAS COULD TAKE FORM
AND THAT GOD DWELT
IN THE DETAILS OF THEIR WORK
AND THE QUALITY OF
THEIR CRAFTSMANSHIP.
THEY AIMED AT NOTHING LESS
THAN THE TRANSFORMATION
OF EARTH INTO HEAVEN
SO THEY STROVE FOR PERFECTION
IN EVERYTHING THEY DID.
THERE WAS NO ORNAMENT
OR WASTED EFFORT.
CRAFTSMEN RARELY
SIGNED THEIR WORK.
IT WAS SIMPLE
THE WAY THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
WAS SIMPLE.
THEY WERE INVENTORS.
THEY DESIGNED DOZENS
OF LABOR-SAVING MACHINES
AND DESIGNED AND BUILT
ALL THEIR OWN FURNITURE.
THEY WOVE WATER-REPELLENT CLOTH
MADE FABRIC
THAT NEEDED NO IRONING
AND INVENTED
THE COMMON CLOTHESPIN.
THEY TURNED THE ROUND BROOM
INTO A FLAT ONE
AND THEY WERE FAMOUS FOR THEIR
CLOAKS, OVAL BOXES AND CHAIRS.
Woman:
THEIR WORK IS WONDERFUL.
IT IS AN EXPRESSION
OF THEM, REALLY.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO SEE
THE SHAKERS WITH THEIR ARTIFACTS
TO UNDERSTAND THEM
BECAUSE THE SIMPLICITY
OF THE FURNITURE
THE CRAFTSMANSHIP, THE BEAUTY,
THE CARE WITH WHICH IT'S DONE
ALL EXEMPLIFY THE WAY THEY LIVE.
PEOPLE LOOK IN UPON US,
AND THE FIRST THING THEY SAY IS
"THEY'RE THE PEOPLE
THAT MADE NICE FURNITURE."
AND I SAID, "I KNOW, AND
I ALMOST EXPECT TO BE REMEMBERED
AS A CHAIR OR A TABLE."
BUT PEOPLE THAT COME IN
FEELING THAT WAY
THEY FORGET
WHAT'S BEHIND THAT WORK.
THERE'S THE RELIGION
THAT PRODUCED
THE GOOD CHAIRS AND TABLES
BECAUSE EVERYTHING THEY PUT
THEIR HAND TO WAS WELL DONE.
Man:
"IF THEIR PRINCIPLES
"ARE MAINTAINED AND SUSTAINED
BY A PRACTICAL LIFE
"IT IS DESTINED EVENTUALLY
TO OVERTHROW
ALL OTHER RELIGIONS."
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Narrator:
DURING HER LIFETIME
NO IMAGE OF ANY KIND
WAS MADE OF ANN LEE.
SHE WAS BORN ON LEAP YEAR,
FEBRUARY 29, 1736
IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.
EVEN AS A CHILD
SHE WAS TORMENTED BY A SENSE
OF HER OWN IMPURITY.
FORCED BY HER PARENTS TO MARRY
SHE BORE FOUR CHILDREN,
ALL OF WHOM DIED.
Woman:
"SOON AFTER I SET OUT
TO TRAVEL IN THE WAY OF GOD
"I LABORED A-NIGHTS
"CONTINUALLY CRYING
FOR MY OWN REDEMPTION
"AND IN THE DAYTIME
"I PUT MY HANDS TO WORK
AND MY HEART TO GOD.
"MY SUFFERINGS WERE SO GREAT
"THAT MY FLESH
CONSUMED UPON MY BONES
AND I BECAME AS HELPLESS
AS AN INFANT."
Narrator:
SHE STRUGGLED ALONE
FOR NINE YEARS
UNTIL IN 1770 SHE HAD
A DAZZLING VISION OF JESUS.
Woman:
"AT LAST MY SOUL
BROKE FORTH TO GOD
"WHICH I FELT AS SENSIBLY
AS EVER A WOMAN DID A CHILD
WHEN SHE WAS DELIVERED OF IT."
Narrator:
HER REVELATION WAS ACCEPTED BY
A SMALL GROUP OF ENGLISH QUAKERS
KNOWN FOR THEIR VIOLENT
EXERCISES OF BODY AND SOUL
AS SHAKING QUAKERS,
OR "SHAKERS."
TO THEM, ANN LEE
BECAME "MOTHER ANN."
BUT THEY WERE NOT
WELCOME IN ENGLAND.
Man:
AMERICA IS THE LAND OF ZERO.
START FROM ZERO.
WE START FROM NOTHING.
THAT'S THE IDEAL OF AMERICA.
WE START ONLY
FROM OUR OWN REASON
OUR OWN LONGING, OUR OWN SEARCH.
THIS IS THE NATION THAT
CUT ITS TIES WITH TRADITION.
IT COMES OUT OF MANY IMPULSES,
SOME OF THEM NOT SO HONORABLE
BUT AMONG THE HONORABLE ONES IS:
"NOBODY IS GOING TO TELL ME
HOW TO RELATE TO GOD.
I'M GOING TO FIND IT
FROM INSIDE MYSELF."
THIS IS THE GENIUS
OF PROTESTANTISM
AND, IN PART,
THE GENIUS OF AMERICA.
Narrator:
ON THE EVE OF THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
ANN LEE AND HER SMALL GROUP
CAME TO AMERICA.
THEY SETTLED
NEAR ALBANY, NEW YORK
IN A FRONTIER WILDERNESS
CALLED NISKAYUNA BY THE INDIANS
AND LATER KNOWN AS WATERVLIET.
AS THE WAR DRAGGED ON
A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL
ALSO SWEPT THE COUNTRYSIDE.
WORD SPREAD OF A STERN AND GODLY
WOMAN WHO WALKED WITH JESUS
WHO KNEW EACH ONE'S
PAST AND FUTURE
AND WHO COULD SAVE ANY
WHO CONFESSED THEIR SINS.
Woman:
"I NEVER MADE ANY
PROFESSION TO RELIGION
"ALTHOUGH I HAD MANY SERIOUS
THOUGHTS ABOUT MY SOUL
"AND AT TIMES I WAS AFRAID
I SHOULD GO TO HELL.
"IN THE SPRING, I HEARD OF
A STRANGE PEOPLE ABOVE ALBANY
"WHO SAID THEY SERVED GOD
DAY AND NIGHT
"AND DID NOT COMMIT SIN.
"WHEN I ARRIVED,
I WAS LED TO MOTHER ANN.
"AS I SAT BY THE SIDE OF HER
"ONE OF HER HANDS
FREQUENTLY TOUCHED MY ARM
"AND I INSTANTLY FELT
THE POWER OF GOD
RUN THROUGH MY WHOLE BODY."
HANNAH CHAUNCY.
Woman:
♪ I HUNGER AND THIRST,
I HUNGER AND THIRST ♪
♪ AFTER TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS. ♪
Narrator:
THE FEARFUL AND THE CURIOUS
BEGAN TO COME
DRAWN BY MOTHER ANN'S
SIMPLE TESTIMONY.
Woman:
"GOD'S NATURE IS DUAL--
MALE AND FEMALE EQUALLY.
"CARNAL AFFECTIONS MUST DIE
"THAT SPIRITUAL AFFECTIONS
MAY LIVE
"AND ALL WHO WILL BE
TRUE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST
MUST LEAD A CELIBATE LIFE."
♪ ...MY SOUL CANNOT REST ♪
♪ AN OCEAN I SEE... ♪
"DO ALL YOUR WORK AS THOUGH
YOU HAD 1,000 YEARS TO LIVE
AND AS YOU WOULD IF YOU KNEW
YOU MUST DIE TOMORROW."
WHOEVER'S A CHRISTIAN
AND TAKES CHRIST'S TEACHINGS
INTO THEIR HEART
CHRIST IS IN THEIR BODY
IN SPIRIT.
WE LIVE BY CHRIST'S TEACHINGS
AND SO WE KNOW
THAT IF WE LOVE CHRIST
AND WE'RE GOING BY HIS TEACHINGS
AND HIS EXAMPLE
THEN CHRIST IS WITH US.
HE HAS COME ON EARTH.
IT TOOK QUITE A LOT OF TIME
TO GET PEOPLE USED TO THE IDEA
THAT WE WERE
SIMPLY CHRISTIAN PEOPLE
JUST EXPRESSING
OUR RELIGIOUS VIEWS
IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY
FROM THEY DID.
Narrator:
MOTHER ANN TRAVELED ON FOOT
ACROSS NEW ENGLAND.
AT EVERY STOP
THERE WERE MORE CONVERTS
BUT ALSO ANGRY CROWDS
WHICH ACCUSED HER OF
TREASON AND WITCHCRAFT.
AT ELIJAH WILD'S HOUSE
IN SHIRLEY, MASSACHUSETTS
SHE WAS ATTACKED BY A MOB
FOR STEALING A WIFE
AWAY FROM HER HUSBAND.
Man:
"THERE'S NO FEAR THAT THIS
OR ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS SECT
"THAT IS FOUNDED ALTOGETHER
ON FANATICISM AND FOLLY
WILL EVER ARRIVE
AT THE SMALLEST IMPORTANCE."
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER.
Narrator:
ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1784
AT NISKAYUNA
A SHAKER CONVERT
NAMED JOHN HOCKNELL
WROTE THAT HE SAW MOTHER ANN
WAFTED AWAY ON A GOLDEN CHARIOT.
WEAKENED BY YEARS OF
PERSECUTION, ANN LEE DIED.
HER WORK WAS DONE.
SHE WAS 48 YEARS OLD.
Man:
"THE TIME HAS COME
"FOR YOU TO GIVE UP YOUR SELVES
AND YOUR ALL TO GOD;
"TO POSSESS AS THOUGH
YOU POSSESSED NOT.
"WE SHALL HAVE
ONE MEETING TOGETHER
WHICH WILL NEVER BREAK UP."
Narrator:
ANN LEE LEFT A HANDFUL
OF INSPIRED LEADERS
AND THEY GAVE
THE SHAKER RELIGION ITS FORM.
TWO ELDERS AND TWO ELDRESSES
WOULD GOVERN EACH COMMUNITY
AND A CENTRAL MINISTRY
AT MOUNT LEBANON, NEW YORK
WOULD OVERSEE THE SOCIETIES.
IN 1785, AS A NEW
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
STRUGGLED TO FIND ITS FORM
THE FIRST COMMUNAL SHAKER
BUILDING-- A MEETINGHOUSE--
WAS CONSTRUCTED.
IT STOOD AS AN ARCHITECTURAL
EXPRESSION OF SPIRITUAL AIMS
AND A MODEL FOR TEN IDENTICAL
BUILDINGS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND.
Man:
"YE SHALL COME IN
AND GO OUT OF THIS HOUSE
"WITH REVERENCE AND GODLY FEAR.
"ALL MEN SHALL COME IN
AND GO OUT AT THE WEST DOORS
"AND ALL WOMEN
AT THE EAST DOORS.
"THERE SHALL BE NO WHISPERING,
TALKING OR LAUGHING
"FOR IT WAS BUILT
TO WORSHIP GOD IN
AND TO REPENT IN."
Woman:
"THE RAISING OF THE MEETINGHOUSE
AT HARVARD, MASSACHUSETTS
"WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN ONE NIGHT,
THAT TIME BEING CHOSEN
"SO THAT THE EYES OF THE WORLD
MIGHT NOT SEE THE PROCESS
WHICH WAS LOOKED UPON
AS A SACRED RITE."
Woman:
"AFTER I'VE DONE
MY WORK IN THIS WORLD
"THERE WILL BE A GREAT
INCREASE IN THE GOSPEL.
"SOULS WILL EMBRACE IT
BY HUNDREDS AND BY THOUSANDS.
"YOU WILL SEE PEACEABLE TIMES,
AND YOU MAY WORSHIP GOD
UNDER YOUR OWN VINE
AND FIG TREES."
MOTHER ANN.
Narrator:
THEY DID COME,
BY HUNDREDS AND BY THOUSANDS
FROM ALSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE,
AND GUILFORD, VERMONT
AND LEYDEN, MASSACHUSETTS
FROM ALFRED, MAINE,
AND PORTLAND, CONNECTICUT
AND PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND.
THEY SIGNED THE COVENANT
ENTERING INTO
THE SHAKER CHURCH.
HUSBANDS AND WIVES
BECAME BROTHERS AND SISTERS
IN HOLY FAMILIES.
CHILDREN WENT
INTO THEIR OWN ORDER
AND PROPERTY WENT
TO THE COMMON GOOD.
MANY WERE ATTRACTED
BY THE POWER AND SINCERITY
OF THE NEW RELIGION.
FOR OTHERS IT WAS
A DIFFICULT DECISION.
"WE ARE THE PEOPLE,"
CLAIMED THE SHAKERS
"WHO TURNED THE WORLD
UPSIDE DOWN."
Woman:
"I WAS AFRAID IT
WAS THE WAY OF GOD
"AND THAT I WOULD
HAVE TO EMBRACE IT
"OR NEVER FIND SALVATION.
"MANY EMBRACED THE TESTIMONY
DURING THAT SUMMER
"AND THE MORE I SAW,
THE MORE I BECAME CONVICTED
"THAT IT WAS THE WORK OF GOD
AND I FELT A STING OF CONSCIENCE
THAT I CANNOT WELL DESCRIBE."
SISTER HANNAH CHAUNCY.
WELL, I CAME TO THE SHAKERS
AS A CHILD, SEVEN YEARS OLD
AND IT TOOK SOME LITTLE TIME
FOR ME TO COME TO THE PLACE
WHERE I GREW THIS DEEP LOVE
FOR THEM.
BUT I ALMOST DID IMMEDIATELY,
I LOVED THEM.
AND THERE NEVER CAME A PLACE
IN MY LIFE
THAT IT DIDN'T MEAN A GREAT DEAL
MORE TO ME THAN ANYTHING ELSE
BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE RELIGION
AT THAT TIME--
IT WAS THE LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE
THAT I WAS WITH.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE
A GREAT DEAL OF SHAKERISM STARTS
IS A LOVE FOR PEOPLE
BECAUSE YOU'RE DRAWN
TO THE LIFE THEY'RE LIVING.
Woman:
"ONE AFTERNOON
I WAS AT A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE
"WHEN TWO YOUNG WOMEN
ATTIRED IN SHAKER COSTUMES
"ENTERED THE REAR DOOR.
"THEY SAID THE SHAKERS
"ALWAYS LIVED
ACCORDING TO THEIR PROFESSION
"WERE HONEST AND UPRIGHT
"BUT THEY DID NOT WISH TO LIVE
A CELIBATE LIFE ANY LONGER.
"A STRANGE SENSATION
SEEMED TO CREEP OVER ME
"AND SOMETHING LIKE A VOICE
SAID, 'WHY LISTEN TO THEM?
"'GO TO THE SHAKERS.
SEE FOR YOURSELF
WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE.'"
Man:
"THE FIRST PEOPLE IN AMERICA,
AND ACTUALLY THE WORLD
"TO CREATE A SOCIETY
ON THE BASIS OF COMMON PROPERTY
"ARE THE SO-CALLED SHAKERS.
"ALTHOUGH THEIR RELIGIOUS VIEWS
"AND ESPECIALLY
THE PROHIBITION OF MARRIAGE
"FRIGHTENED MANY AWAY
"THEY HAVE NEVERTHELESS
FOUND A FOLLOWING
"AND NOW HAVE
11 LARGE COMMUNITIES
EACH 300 TO 800 STRONG."
FRIEDRICH ENGELS.
Man:
"NO DUTCH TOWN
HAS A NEATER ASPECT
"NO MORAVIAN HAMLET
A SOFTER HUSH.
"EVERY BUILDING,
WHATEVER MAY BE ITS USE
"HAS SOMETHING OF
THE AIR OF A CHAPEL.
"THE PAINT IS ALL FRESH,
THE PLANKS ARE ALL BRIGHT
"THE WINDOWS ARE ALL CLEAN
"AND EVERYTHING IN THE HAMLET
LOOKS AND SMELLS
"LIKE HOUSEHOLD THINGS
THAT HAVE LONG BEEN LAID UP
IN LAVENDER AND ROSE LEAVES."
HEPWORTH DIXON.
Man:
"THEY INFORM YOU THAT THEY WISH
TO REPRESENT HEAVEN ON EARTH.
"THEIR VOW IS CELIBACY
"AND THEY HAVE
EVERYTHING IN COMMON.
"HOW THEY MANAGE WITH
THEIR COMBS AND TOOTHBRUSHES
I DID NOT PRESUME TO ASK."
ARCHIBALD MAXWELL.
Man:
"I ARRIVED AT THEIR TOWN
ON SUNDAY, ABOUT 11:00.
"WHEN I GOT IN VIEW OF THEIR
CHURCH, I HEARD A DOLEFUL NOISE.
"AS I APPROACHED NEARER,
"THE SOUND BROKE WITH INCREASING
STRENGTH ON MY EARS.
"THE AIR WAS FILLED WITH
PIERCING SHRIEKS, SHOUTS
"AND CONFUSED ACCLAMATIONS
"RESEMBLING THE WILD AND
MADDENED TENANTS OF BEDLAM.
I WAS TOLD THAT THE SHAKERS
WERE AT WORSHIP."
THE RICHMOND INQUIRER.
Woman:
"THEY FILED OFF
IN A DOUBLE CIRCLE
"ONE CIRCLE GOING ONE WAY
"THE OTHER, TWO OR THREE ABREAST
LABORING AROUND THIS LARGE HALL
"KNEES BENT,
HANDS PADDLING LIKE FINS
"AND VOICES CHANTING WILD AIRS
LIKE SO MANY WITCHES
WORKING OVER THE CAULDRON."
FANNY APPLETON LONGFELLOW.
Woman:
♪ I NEVER DID BELIEVE ♪
♪ THAT I EVER COULD BE SAVED ♪
♪ WITHOUT GIVING UP
ALL TO GOD ♪
♪ I NEVER DID BELIEVE ♪
♪ THAT I EVER COULD BE SAVED ♪
♪ WITHOUT GIVING UP
ALL TO GOD ♪
♪ SO I FREELY GIVE THE WHOLE ♪
♪ MY BODY AND MY SOUL ♪
♪ TO THE LORD GOD, AMEN. ♪
Narrator:
THE SHAKERS BELIEVED
THAT DANCING BROUGHT THEM
CLOSER TO GOD.
BUT THEY ONLY PRACTICED
THE IMPULSIVE, FRENZIED WORSHIP
THEY WERE KNOWN FOR
DURING THEIR FIRST TEN YEARS.
AFTER MOTHER ANN'S DEATH,
IT LATER EVOLVED
INTO A REHEARSED,
ORDERLY AND PATTERNED RITUAL.
♪ LET ME HAVE MOTHER'S GOSPEL ♪
♪ MOTHER'S SOUL-SAVING GOSPEL ♪
♪ THAT SAME LIFE THAT SHE LIVED,
THAT SHE TAUGHT IN HER DAY ♪
♪ FREE FROM ALL THAT IS CARNAL ♪
♪ BREATHING LIFE, LIFE ETERNAL ♪
♪ FROM THE WORLD,
FROM THE FLESH ♪
♪ 'TIS AWAY, FAR AWAY. ♪
Woman:
"SABBATH.
"PUBLIC MEETING AS USUAL.
"THE MEETINGHOUSE WAS VERY MUCH
CROWDED WITH BELIEVERS
"AND THE WORLD'S PEOPLE.
"IT IS JUDGED THERE WERE
500 OF THE WORLD
"ATTENDED ONE MEETING TODAY.
WE SANG, WE DANCED, WE SHOUTED."
Man:
"THE MUSIC WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING
I HAD EVER HEARD--
"BEAUTIFUL, IMPRESSIVE
AND DEEPLY SOLEMN.
"THEIR SONGS AND HYMNS BREATHE
A PURE AND CHRISTIAN SPIRIT
"AND THEIR MUSIC
CAPTIVATES THE EAR
BECAUSE OF ITS SEVERE SIMPLICITY
AND PERFECT MELODY."
Sister Mildred:
THOSE SONGS HAVE SO MANY
MESSAGES IN THEM
AND VERY OFTEN, IF YOU
CAN'T EXPRESS IT YOURSELF
THE WORDS OF THE SONGS
BRING IT OUT.
TO ME, THE SONGS HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN A GREAT PART OF MY FAITH.
I'VE FOUND SO MANY
ANSWERS IN THE SONGS--
ESPECIALLY THE OLD ONES.
THE LITTLE SONG
I'M ABOUT TO SING
WAS WRITTEN BY
ONE OF THE SHAKER SISTERS
HERE IN CANTERBURY
AND TAUGHT TO ME
BY SISTER ANNIE BAKER
WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.
♪ I WANT TO BE CLEAN
AND HOLY ALL OVER ♪
♪ THAT MOTHER'S RICH BLESSING
MY SPIRIT MAY COVER ♪
♪ I'LL BRUSH UP MY GARMENTS
AS CLEAN AS I CAN ♪
♪ SO MOTHER CAN OWN ME,
HER WHITE LITTLE LAMB. ♪
Narrator:
IN THEIR HUGE FAMILY DWELLINGS,
THE SEXES WERE KEPT APART.
MEN LIVED ON ONE SIDE,
WOMEN ON THE OTHER
USING SEPARATE DOORS
AND STAIRWAYS AT ALL TIMES.
THEY WERE TAUGHT THAT
TO DISCIPLINE THE BODY
WAS TO FEED THE SPIRIT
SO THEIR DAILY LIFE
WAS GOVERNED BY RITUAL.
THEY DRESSED
THE RIGHT SIDE FIRST
STEPPED RIGHT FOOT
FIRST ON STAIRS
KNELT WITH THE RIGHT KNEE FIRST
AND HARNESSED
THE RIGHT-HAND HORSE FIRST.
THEY CUT THEIR BREAD
AND MEAT SQUARE.
DIAGONAL SHORTCUTS
WERE DISCOURAGED.
AT DAY'S END
BELIEVERS WERE TOLD
TO REST IN THE FEAR OF GOD
AND LIE STRAIGHT.
CELIBACY EXISTS
IN EVERY RELIGIOUS TRADITION
IN ONE OR ANOTHER FORM,
FOR SHORT OR LONG PERIODS.
IT CERTAINLY IS
ONE HONORABLE WAY
OF UNDERSTANDING
COMMITMENT TO GOD:
TO SACRIFICE THAT SORT OF
PERSONAL JOY IN A RELATIONSHIP
FOR THE OTHER.
BUT YOU HAVE TO BRING IN
THIS QUESTION OF ENERGY--
WHERE THEY GET
THEIR ENERGY FROM.
THE ENERGY OF THE SHAKERS
AS I SEE IT
IS WHAT'S EXTRAORDINARY;
THE CREATIVE ENERGY.
AND THIS MUST HAVE COME,
TO SOME EXTENT
FROM THE AUTHENTIC SUBLIMATION
OF THE SEXUAL ENERGY.
Narrator:
THE IDEA OF CELIBACY
INTRIGUED AND THREATENED
THE WORLD'S PEOPLE
BUT FOR THE SHAKERS
THIS SACRIFICE WAS
THE CORE OF THEIR STRUGGLE
TO BE CLOSER TO GOD.
Eldress Soule:
YOUR MISSION MAY BE TO MARRY
AND BRING
A NEW LIFE INTO THE WORLD.
OUR MISSION IS TO LIVE THE LIFE
OF CHRIST AS NEAR AS WE CAN
AND DO FOR ALL.
BUT WE BLESS MARRIAGE
BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY
DIDN'T HAVE LITTLE ONES
WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY SHAKERS.
Woman:
"THE NEXT OPENING OF THE GOSPEL
WILL BE IN THE SOUTHWEST.
"IT WILL BE AT A GREAT DISTANCE
AND THERE WILL BE
A GREAT WORK OF GOD."
MOTHER ANN.
Narrator:
IN 1800, KENTUCKY
WAS THE FRONTIER--
"A STATE FULL OF UNBOUNDED
OPTIMISM," ONE OBSERVER WROTE
WHICH RELEGATED RELIGION
TO A PLACE OF MINOR IMPORTANCE.
YET WITHIN A YEAR
A HANDFUL OF PREACHERS
IGNITED A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL
THAT TURNED KENTUCKY
INTO A MASS CAMP MEETING.
SETTLERS CONGREGATED
UNDER TREES, IN FIELDS AND TENTS
IN PRIMITIVE CHURCHES
MADE OF TIMBER AND MUD.
FOLLOWING THE PATTERN BACK EAST
THE SHAKERS BROUGHT
THEIR MISSION TO THE FRONTIER
IN THE HEAT OF
A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL.
IN 1805
WHILE LEWIS AND CLARK WERE
EXPLORING THE GREAT NORTHWEST
THE MOUNT LEBANON MINISTRY
SENT THREE BELIEVERS TO KENTUCKY
TO GATHER IN THE RESTLESS.
THE MEN TRAVELED
1,233 MILES ON FOOT
IN TWO MONTHS AND 22 DAYS.
Man:
"LIKE GOD'S HUNTERS
"WE WENT THROUGH
THIS WILD, WOODEN WORLD
"HUNTING UP EVERY SOUL
THAT GOD HAD BEEN PREPARING
"FOR ETERNAL LIFE.
"THE PEOPLE SUCKED IN OUR LIGHT
"AS GREEDILY
AS EVER AN OX DRANK WATER
"AND ALL WONDERED
WHERE THEY HAD BEEN
AND NOT SEEN
THESE THINGS BEFORE."
BROTHER ISSACHAR BATES.
Narrator:
ON A BLUEGRASS HILL
NEAR THE KENTUCKY RIVER
44 CONVERTS SIGNED THE COVENANT
AND ESTABLISHED A VILLAGE
CALLED PLEASANT HILL.
THE RIVER CONNECTED
THE SHAKERS TO MARKETS
DOWN THE OHIO AND MISSISSIPPI.
FROM THE RIVER'S PALISADES
CAME THE LIMESTONE
FOR THEIR BUILDINGS.
THE MATERIAL WAS
UNFAMILIAR TO THEM
AND THE FIRST LIMESTONE
BUILDING, BUILT IN 1809
DIDN'T SATISFY THEM.
BUT IN 1811, AFTER STUDYING
WITH LOCAL CRAFTSMEN
THE SHAKERS BUILT A SECOND,
IDENTICAL LIMESTONE BUILDING.
THIS TIME IT WAS FLAWLESS.
BY THE TIME THE ERIE CANAL
OPENED IN 1825
THERE WERE TWO SHAKER
SOCIETIES IN KENTUCKY
FOUR IN OHIO,
ANOTHER IN INDIANA.
THE WESTERN SHAKERS HAD
A PARTICULARLY PROGRESSIVE
SHAKER SPIRIT.
THEY WERE THE FIRST
SHAKERS TO BIND BOOKS.
THEY ENJOYED PHOTOGRAPHY.
THEY RAISED SILKWORMS,
WOVE AND WORE SILK.
PLEASANT HILL WAS THE
FIRST KENTUCKY SETTLEMENT
WITH RUNNING WATER.
THEY DISTILLED WHISKEY FOR SALE.
FOR A TIME,
ONE SOCIETY RAN A HOTEL.
AND THEY WERE
ESPECIALLY RENOWNED
FOR THEIR WILD-EYED STRAIN
OF SHORTHORN CATTLE.
BUT INDIANA WAS THE
FARTHEST WEST THE SHAKERS GOT.
THE FRONTIER MOVED ON.
( bell ringing )
Woman:
"WE BELIEVED WE
WERE DEBTORS TO GOD
"IN RELATION
TO EACH OTHER AND TO ALL MEN
"TO IMPROVE OUR TIME
AND TALENTS IN THIS LIFE
IN THAT MANNER IN WHICH
WE MIGHT BE MOST USEFUL."
Narrator:
THE DAY OF WORK BEGAN
AT THE SOUND OF A BELL--
4:30 A.M. IN SUMMER,
5:30 IN WINTER.
15 MINUTES AFTER RISING
AND KNEELING FOR
A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER
THE BRETHREN WERE OFF
TO THEIR MORNING CHORES
AS THE SISTERS MOVED
THROUGH THE DWELLING
PUTTING THE ROOMS IN ORDER.
BY BREAKFAST, FIRES WERE GOING,
COWS MILKED AND FED
AND PREPARATIONS FOR
THE DAY'S WORK WERE COMPLETE.
Eldress Soule:
WE LITTLE GIRLS
WOULD GET UP AND DRESS
AND GET READY
TO GO TO BREAKFAST.
AND OF COURSE, THE BRETHREN
THEY'D GET A WHOLE DAY'S WORK
DONE BEFORE BREAKFAST
SO THEY WERE READY FOR
A NICE, GOOD BREAKFAST--
APPLE PIE
IN THE MORNING, ALWAYS.
SO THEY WERE REALLY HUNGRY.
YOU KNOW, OUR WORK
WAS ROTATED BY THE MONTH
AND SO WE DID NOT WORK
AT ONE TASK ALL THE TIME.
IT GAVE US OPPORTUNITY
TO LEARN EVERY TRADE
AND TO BE ABLE
TO CHANGE WITH SOMEBODY
IF THEY WERE NOT ABLE
TO CONTINUE DOING THAT.
Narrator:
WORK WAS WORSHIP WITH THE
SHAKERS-- AN ACT OF PIETY.
IT WAS THE PRACTICAL
SIDE OF RELIGION.
IT PROVIDED A SPECIFIC
DAILY OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE GOD
BY CARING FOR WHAT THEY DID.
DAILY LABORS AIMED NOT
FOR PRODUCTS OR PROFIT
BUT FOR PERFECTION.
ALL LABOR WAS CONSECRATED,
AND EVEN THE MOST MENIAL TASKS
WERE DIGNIFIED IN
THE SERVICE OF GOD.
Man:
"A MAN CAN SHOW HIS RELIGION
AS MUCH IN MEASURING ONIONS
AS HE CAN IN SINGING
'GLORY HALLELUJAH.'"
Narrator:
THE SHAKERS WERE
FARMERS AND CARPENTERS
AND PRINTERS AND BEEKEEPERS.
THEY WERE BAKERS, MERCHANTS,
CHEMISTS AND ARCHITECTS.
EVERYBODY WORKED,
AND EVERYBODY WORKED HARD.
THEY CARDED AND SPUN WOOL
AND COTTON, AND HATCHELED FLAX.
ON THEIR SHAKER LOOMS
THEY WOVE HANDKERCHIEFS
TOWELS, CARPETS AND SPREADS
PLUS FABRIC FOR THEIR OWN NEEDS.
THEY MADE PIPES, PINS,
NAILS, BROOMS AND MOPS
BUTTONS AND BUCKLES
AND GARDEN HOES.
THEY SOLD WINES, SAUCES, JELLIES
PICKLES AND KETCHUP AND SAUSAGE
MEDICINES AND HERBAL REMEDIES
AND, FOR A TIME, MOST OF
THE OPIUM USED IN AMERICA.
WHEN THE SHAKERS BEGAN
SELLING GARDEN SEED
PACKAGED IN PAPER BAGS THAT WERE
CUT, FOLDED, PASTED AND PRINTED
IN THEIR OWN SHOPS
FARMERS ACROSS THE NATION
ORDERED THEM BY THE MILLIONS.
AND THE INVENTION
OF THE CIRCULAR SAW
IS CREDITED TO A SHAKER SISTER.
YOU SEE, THE SHAKERS, BEING
INVENTORS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT
THEY WANTED TO INTRODUCE
INTO THE FAMILY
ANYTHING THAT WOULD MAKE
THE WORK LIGHTER
OR TO ADD PLEASURE
BECAUSE THE EXPERIENCE
OF BEING A SHAKER
IS NOT ONLY A HOME TO LIVE IN
IT GIVES THEM
A WONDERFUL SENSE OF HAVING
EVERYTHING TO MAKE LIFE JOYOUS
AND RELIGION SHOULD BE ANYWAY
A JOYOUS EXPERIENCE FOR PEOPLE.
Man:
"THE BEAUTIFUL, AS YOU CALL IT,
IS ABSURD AND ABNORMAL.
"IT HAS NO BUSINESS WITH US.
"ORDER IS HEAVEN'S FIRST LAW.
THERE IS NOT IN THE WHOLE
VILLAGE ONE LINE OF ORNAMENT."
ANYTHING REALLY NEW IN THOUGHT
AND IN MATERIAL LIFE
HAS TO HAVE ITS SOURCE
IN SOMETHING
THAT YOU HAVE TO CALL SPIRITUAL.
NOBODY CAN BE REALLY CREATIVE
UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING
SPIRITUAL BEHIND IT
WHETHER YOU... WHETHER IT GOES
BY THAT NAME OR NOT.
I MEAN, WHO INVENTED THE HOUSE
OR WHO INVENTED ANY
OF THE THINGS WE HAVE?
PROBABLY SOMEONE ENGAGED
IN SOME KIND OF SEARCH.
Narrator:
THEY HAD AN INSTINCT FOR
WHAT WORKED, WHAT WAS RIGHT.
SHAKER BUILDINGS WERE DESIGNED
WITH DELIBERATE SIMPLICITY.
IN THE ROUND STONE BARN
AT HANCOCK, MASSACHUSETTS
ONE BROTHER COULD
WALK AROUND ITS CENTER
AND FEED AN ENTIRE HERD
IN A FEW SHORT STEPS.
IT WAS BUILT INTO A SLOPE
AND HAD GROUND-LEVEL DOORS
ON ALL THREE STORIES.
THE HAY WAS HAULED IN AT THE TOP
AND PITCHED DOWN
TO THE STALLS BELOW.
THE SHAKERS NEVER SAW ANY SENSE
IN FIGHTING AGAINST GRAVITY.
WITH EVENING CHORES DONE
BELIEVERS RETURNED
TO THEIR ROOMS
FOR HALF AN HOUR OF MEDITATION.
EVENING ASSEMBLY BEGAN
AT THE SOUND OF ANOTHER BELL.
THEY MET SOMETIMES FOR WORSHIP,
SOMETIMES FOR SINGING
AND SOMETIMES TO SOCIALIZE.
Woman:
"MARCH 1842.
"THIS MONTH A GIFT WAS ANNOUNCED
"FOR EVERYONE TO MAKE
A REVIEW OF HIS LIFE.
"FOR THREE WEEKS IT WAS
ALMOST A PERPETUAL SABBATH.
"TEMPORAL DUTIES, EXCEPT THOSE
THAT WERE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY
"WERE MOSTLY LAID ASIDE.
MEETINGS WERE HELD
AT ALL HOURS."
SISTER MARCIA HASTINGS.
Woman:
"DECEMBER 31.
"WE KILLED CHICKENS
FOR THE MARKET THIS A.M.
"SOME OF THE INDIAN SPIRITS
MAKE THEMSELVES KNOWN
AND SPEAK IN MEETING
THIS EVENING."
Man:
"SABBATH, DECEMBER 13, 1843.
"WE HAD A VERY GOOD MEETING.
IN MEETING ABOUT 22 HOURS."
Woman:
"AUGUST 5.
"IT IS A GENERAL TIME
OF HEALTH AND PROSPERITY
IN THE DIFFERENT SOCIETIES."
Narrator:
60 YEARS AFTER MOTHER ANN'S
ARRIVAL IN AMERICA
17 SHAKER COMMUNITIES
WERE FLOURISHING
AND NEARLY 6,000 BELIEVERS
LIVED IN PEACEFUL ISOLATION
UNIMPEDED BY THE WORLD.
Man:
"A TREE HAS ITS WANTS AND WISHES
"AND A MAN SHOULD STUDY THEM
AS A TEACHER WATCHES A CHILD
"TO SEE WHAT HE CAN DO.
"IF YOU LOVE THE PLANT
AND TAKE HEED OF WHAT IT LIKES
YOU WILL BE REPAID BY IT."
ELDER FREDERICK EVANS.
Narrator:
AT ONE TIME, THE SHAKERS
AT CANTERBURY DISCOVERED
THAT SOME OF THEIR
POORER NEIGHBORS
WERE STEALING VEGETABLES
FROM THE GARDENS AT NIGHT.
IN RESPONSE, THEY
PLANTED EXTRA CROPS.
Woman:
"WE PLANT SOME FOR THE SHAKERS
"SOME FOR THE THIEVES
AND SOME FOR THE CROWS.
THIEVES AND CROWS
HAVE TO EAT, TOO."
IT WAS COMMON PRACTICE
FOR PEOPLE TO APPEAR IN THE FALL
WHEN THE WINTER SEASON
WAS ABOUT TO COME
AND ASK TO BE TAKEN IN
AND THEY WOULD PROFESS
THAT THEY WERE THINKING
OF JOINING THE SHAKERS.
WHEN SPRING CAME, OFF THEY'D BE.
AND THE SHAKERS
KNEW THIS PERFECTLY WELL
AND THEY LABELED THEM
"WINTER SHAKERS"
BUT THEY NEVER REFUSED
TO TAKE THEM IN.
Man:
"ON THE WHOLE, THEY LEAD
A GOOD AND COMFORTABLE LIFE
"AND IF IT WERE NOT FOR
THEIR RIDICULOUS CEREMONIES
"A MAN COULD NOT DO
A WISER THING THAN TO JOIN THEM.
"I SPOKE TO THEM
"ABOUT BECOMING A MEMBER
OF THEIR SOCIETY
BUT HAVE COME TO NO DECISION
ON THAT POINT."
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.
Woman:
"TODAY WE PURCHASED
JONAS CRUTCHER
"A COLORED MAN WHO HAD BEEN
A BELIEVER ABOUT 19 YEARS.
"WE HAVE BOUGHT HIM TO PREVENT
HIS BEING SOLD SOUTH.
HE WAS ACCEPTED ON EQUAL TERMS."
Man:
"IN THE SHAKERS,
I FIND ONE PEACE OF BELIEF
"IN THE DOCTRINE THAT ENCOURAGES
THEM TO OPEN THEIR DOOR
"TO EVERY WAYFARING MAN WHO
PROPOSES TO COME AMONG THEM.
"THEY DO NOT RECEIVE HIM,
AND THEY DO NOT REJECT HIM
"FOR THEY SAY THE SPIRIT
WILL PRESENTLY MANIFEST
"TO THE MAN HIMSELF
AND TO THE SOCIETY
"WHETHER HE BELONGS AMONG THEM.
"AND NOT IN VAIN HAVE THEY
DRUDGED IN THEIR FIELDS
"AND SHUFFLED
IN THEIR BRUIN DANCE
IF THEY HAVE TRULY
LEARNED THIS MUCH WISDOM."
RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
Man:
"IT IS WELL TO HAVE ONE'S NAME
SUCH A SYNONYM FOR HONESTY
"THAT ANYTHING CALLED BY IT
MAY BE BOUGHT AND SOLD
WITH PERFECT CONFIDENCE."
WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS,
ATLANTIC MONTHLY.
Man:
"IT IS NO MORE THAN MERE JUSTICE
"TO SAY THAT WE ARE
INDEBTED TO THE SHAKERS
"MORE THAN TO ANY OR ALL
OTHER SOCIAL ARCHITECTS
"OF MODERN TIMES.
"THEIR SUCCESS HAS BEEN
THE SOLID CAPITAL
"THAT HAS UPHELD
ALL THE PAPER THEORIES
AND COUNTERACTED THE FAILURES."
JOHN HUMPHREY NOYES.
Narrator:
IN THE DECADE OF THE 1840s
NO LESS THAN 100,000 AMERICANS
JOINED SCORES OF DIFFERENT
UTOPIAN EXPERIMENTS.
IT WAS THE AGE OF THE MORMONS
AND THE ONEIDANS
THE TRANSCENDENTALISTS
AT BROOK FARM
THE INTELLECTUAL COMMUNITIES
LIKE NEW HARMONY
RELIGIOUS SECTS LIKE AURORA,
AMANA, SKANEATELES
THE HARMONY SOCIETY, BISHOP HILL
AND THE ICARIANS.
OUT OF THIS MULTITUDE
OF EXPERIMENTS
THE SHAKERS WERE THE OLDEST
AND STILL SEEMED THE SOUNDEST.
Man:
"I DO NOT SEE HOW IT IS POSSIBLE
IN THE NATURE OF THINGS
"FOR ANY TRUE RELIGION
TO CONTINUE LONG
"FOR RELIGION MUST NECESSARILY
PRODUCE INDUSTRY AND FRUGALITY
"AND THIS CANNOT
BUT PRODUCE RICHES.
"BUT AS RICHES INCREASE,
SO WILL LOVE OF THE WORLD
IN ALL ITS BRANCHES."
JOHN WESLEY.
Narrator:
THE WORLD WHICH HAD
FINALLY ACCEPTED THE SHAKERS
BEGAN TO DRAW THEM AWAY.
SOME FOUND CELIBACY
TOO GREAT A SACRIFICE.
OTHERS SIMPLY COULD NOT
SUSTAIN THEIR FAITH.
HERVEY ELKINS
LEFT AFTER 15 YEARS
AT ENFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE
BECAUSE HE WISHED FOR
AN "INEXPRESSIBLE SOMETHING
WHICH WAS NOT THERE
TO BE FOUND."
A FEW WHO LEFT TOOK THE SACRED
RITUALS TO THE MARKETPLACE.
A POPULAR ACT
AT THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM
WAS THE PERFORMANCE OF ORIGINAL
DANCES BY FORMER MEMBERS.
Woman:
"TO A MAN OR A WOMAN
"NOT THOROUGHLY AND EARNESTLY
IN LOVE WITH AN ASCETIC LIFE
"AND DEEPLY DISGUSTED
WITH THE WORLD
"SHAKERISM WOULD BE UNENDURABLE.
IT IS NOT A COMFORTABLE PLACE
FOR HYPOCRITES OR PRETENDERS."
Man:
"PLEASANT HILL, KENTUCKY,
SEPTEMBER 13, 1815.
"THIS EVENING
POLLY HOOSER COMMITTED SUICIDE
"BY HANGING HERSELF.
"SHE COMMITTED THE ACT
IN THE SISTERS' SHOP
"ABOVE THE KITCHEN
AT THE WEST FAMILY.
"POLLY WAS 18 YEARS OF AGE
"A LARGE, LIKELY WOMAN,
AND NATURALLY AGREEABLE AND GOOD
BUT SHE SPOILED IT ALL."
Man:
"DIVINE INSPIRATION IS A VOICE
"THAT SPEAKS FROM THE SPIRIT
WORLD TO THE SOUL OF MAN.
"IF HE HAS ANY INTEREST
BEYOND THIS WORLD
"HE SHOULD KEEP HIMSELF IN
A POSITION TO HEAR THAT VOICE
UNDERSTAND ITS LANGUAGE
AND BOW TO ITS REQUIREMENTS."
Narrator:
BY THE 1840s, A WHOLE
GENERATION OF SHAKERS
HAD GROWN UP
NEVER KNOWING MOTHER ANN.
MATERIAL SUCCESS HAD INTRODUCED
A CERTAIN WORLDLINESS
BREEDING SOME IMPATIENCE
WITH TRADITIONAL DISCIPLINE
ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUNG.
BUT THEN AT WATERVLIET
THE SPIRIT OF MOTHER ANN
VISITED FOUR YOUNG GIRLS
INAUGURATING A REMARKABLE
PERIOD OF SPIRITUALISM
KNOWN AS "MOTHER ANN'S WORK."
Woman:
"I SAW THE WHOLE TREE
AS THE ANGEL HELD IT BEFORE ME
"AS DISTINCTLY AS I EVER
SAW A NATURAL TREE.
"I FELT VERY CAUTIOUS
WHEN I TOOK HOLD OF IT
"LEST THE BLAZE
SHOULD TOUCH MY HAND.
"SEEN AND RECEIVED
BY HANNAH COHOON
"IN THE CITY OF PEACE
"SABBATH, OCTOBER 9,
TENTH HOUR A.M., 1845.
PAINTED BY THE SAME HAND."
Narrator:
IT HAD ALL BEGUN WITH MOTHER
ANN'S FIRST VISION OF JESUS.
BUT NEVER BEFORE HAD THE
INSPIRATION BEEN SO DIRECT
OR SO VARIED.
THE SPIRITS OF DEPARTED
SHAKERS AND OTHERS--
GEORGE WASHINGTON,
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
AND THE INDIAN CHIEF TECUMSEH--
SPOKE THROUGH MEDIUMS.
SPIRIT DRAWINGS FILLED
WITH MESSAGES WERE PAINTED
CONTRARY TO THE LONG-STANDING
ORDER AGAINST ORNAMENT.
THE MESSAGE WAS PLAIN:
BELIEVERS HAD GROWN FORGETFUL
OF THE CALL TO SIMPLICITY.
THROUGH SYMBOLS
THEY WERE ENCOURAGED TO RETURN
TO A LIFE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Children:
♪ 'TIS A GIFT TO BE SIMPLE ♪
♪ 'TIS A GIFT TO BE FREE ♪
♪ 'TIS A GIFT TO COME ROUND
WHERE WE OUGHT TO BE... ♪
Narrator:
FROM THE BEGINNING
THE SHAKERS TOOK IN ORPHANS,
THE CHILDREN OF ADULT CONVERTS
GIVING THEM A SUPERB EDUCATION
THE FINEST HEALTH CARE
THE DEVOTED ATTENTION
OF SPIRITUAL PARENTS
AND AN OPPORTUNITY, AT 21
TO SIGN THE COVENANT
AND BECOME A TRUE SHAKER.
MANY LEFT, BUT
A GOOD NUMBER STAYED.
TO ME, A CHILD IS BROUGHT IN
AS A LITTLE GIRL
AND SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT
THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS LIKE
AND SHE GETS CURIOUS.
I NEVER BLAMED THEM
BECAUSE I KNOW
I'M CURIOUS MYSELF.
Woman:
"FEBRUARY 1, SABBATH, 1863.
"AT THIS TIME OUR MINDS
ARE SO MUCH CARRIED OFF
"WITH WARS AND RUMORS OF WAR
THAT OUR SPIRITUAL TRAVEL
IS GREATLY IMPEDED."
Narrator:
THE CIVIL WAR TESTED
THE SHAKERS' DEDICATION
TO THE IDEAL OF PACIFISM.
WHEN THE DRAFT LAW OF 1863
REQUIRED ALL YOUNG MEN TO ENLIST
ELDER FREDERIC EVANS
OF MOUNT LEBANON
PLEADED THE CASE OF SHAKER
PACIFISM WITH PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
"YOU OUGHT TO BE MADE TO FIGHT,"
LINCOLN TOLD HIM.
"WE NEED SUCH MEN AS YOU."
BUT HE GRANTED THE SHAKERS AN
EXEMPTION FROM MILITARY SERVICE
MAKING THEM AMONG THE FIRST
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.
FREDERIC EVANS WAS PERHAPS
THE MOST VISIBLE AND OUTSPOKEN
SHAKER WHO EVER LIVED.
HE WAS PART OF A NEW BREED
OF MORE WORLDLY LEADERSHIP.
UNLIKE MOST OF HIS PREDECESSORS
HE HAD READ, TRAVELED AND
LECTURED ON SOCIAL REFORM.
NO VISION OF ANN LEE OR JESUS
OR ANGELS IN HEAVEN
HAD CONVINCED HIM TO JOIN.
IT WAS A MENTAL PHENOMENON,
HE SAID, WHICH ILLUMINATED HIM.
Man:
"I COULD SEE A CHAIN OF PROBLEMS
"AS IN A BOOK ALL SPREAD OUT
BEFORE ME
"STARTING FROM A FACT
WHICH I DID BELIEVE
"AND LEADING ME
STEP BY STEP MATHEMATICALLY
"TO A GIVEN CONCLUSION WHICH
I HAD NOT HITHERTO BELIEVED.
"I THEN DISCOVERED
"I HAD POWERS WITHIN ME
THAT I KNEW NOT OF.
I WAS REASONING
AS I NEVER BEFORE REASONED."
ELDER FREDERIC EVANS.
Narrator:
ELDRESS ANNA WHITE
WAS ALSO A LEADER
NOT ONLY AMONG SHAKERS, BUT
AMONG AMERICAN PROGRESSIVES.
UNDER HER GUIDANCE,
SHAKERS HELD A PEACE CONFERENCE
WITH DELEGATES
FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
THEY CALLED FOR
REDUCED ARMS AND TAXES
AN INTERNATIONAL POLICE FORCE
AND A WORLD COURT.
ANNA WHITE TOOK THE RESOLUTIONS
TO WASHINGTON
WHERE SHE WAS RECEIVED BY
PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
IT WAS SAID THAT
ROOSEVELT'S EYES NEVER WAVERED
FROM ANNA'S PIERCING LOOK.
IT WAS, AS ONE OBSERVER NOTED,
"TURK MEETS TURK."
ELDRESS ANNA WHITE,
MANY YEARS AGO
ASKED THIS QUESTION:
"AS THE ANCIENTS OF
THE CITY PASS AWAY
WHO WILL KEEP THE TESTIMONY
BURNING BRIGHT?"
WHICH WAS, INDEED,
A VERY SERIOUS QUESTION.
WHO WILL KEEP THE SHAKER LIGHT
BURNING BRIGHT AND CLEAR
AS THE YEARS GO ON?
Narrator:
ALL OF THE SOCIETIES
SURVIVED THE CIVIL WAR
BUT THE CHANGES
IN AMERICA WHICH FOLLOWED--
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND
THE GROWTH OF CITIES
AND PARTICULARLY
THE LOSS OF THE FRONTIER--
INTENSIFIED THE STEADY DECLINE
IN INDUSTRIES AND MEMBERSHIP
FROM WHICH THEY NEVER RECOVERED.
Man:
"WE AMERICANS LOVE LIBERTY
TOO MUCH
"TO JOIN SUCH SOCIETIES
AS THESE.
"WHAT ARE THEY
BUT PURE DESPOTISM
"WHERE ALL ARE SUBJECT
TO THE WILL OF ONE MAN
"A FEW LEADERS, OR EVEN A WOMAN?
"ARE NOT THESE PLACES OPPOSED
TO SCIENCE AND ALL IMPROVEMENTS?
"WE AMERICANS ARE
A GO-AHEAD PEOPLE
NOT TO BE CONFINED ANYWHERE
OR STOPPED BY ANYTHING."
JOHN FINCH.
Woman:
"IT IS THE UNDERSTANDING HERE
"THAT THE SOCIETY IS
GOING DOWN GRADUALLY
"ON THE MALE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
"THE OLDER BRETHREN
ARE DYING OFF RAPIDLY
"AND THE YOUNGER ONES
ARE RUNNING OFF MORE RAPIDLY.
"WE CANNOT PREVENT
A SPIRIT OF DISCOURAGEMENT
FROM GETTING IN
AMONG THE PEOPLE."
Man:
"OUR FAMILY IS GROWING
LESS FAST.
"MORE LABORERS ARE NEEDED.
"SEND THEM, LORD, WE PRAY.
THOU ALONE CANST HELP US."
Olive Hayden Austin:
ONE EVENING, I HAD FALLEN ASLEEP
AND I WAKENED
WITH ALMOST SEEMING LIKE
A VOICE SPEAKING TO ME
AND THE WORDS CAME TO ME
FROM THE BOOK OF PROVERBS:
"TRUST IN THE LORD
WITH ALL THINE HEART
"AND LEAN UNTO THINE
OWN UNDERSTANDING.
"IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM
AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS."
AND THIS SEEMED TO ME
LIKE A CALL
THAT AS I WAS FEELING THEN THAT
IT WAS RIGHT FOR ME TO LEAVE.
MY WORK HAD BEEN FINISHED THERE
AS LONG AS ALL MY
COMPANIONS HAD LEFT.
AND SEEMINGLY,
IT WAS THE THING FOR ME TO DO
BECAUSE WITHOUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO HOPES.
Man:
"WE USED TO HAVE
MORE LOOMS THAN NOW
"BUT CLOTH IS SOLD SO CHEAPLY
THAT WE GRADUALLY BEGAN TO BUY.
"IT IS A MISTAKE.
"WE BUY MORE CHEAPLY
THAN WE CAN MAKE
BUT OUR HOMEMADE CLOTH
IS MUCH BETTER THAN WE CAN BUY."
WHEN MASS PRODUCTION CAME ALONG
WHEN THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
REALLY GOT GOING
THE SHAKERS COULDN'T COMPETE,
EVEN IN THE SIMPLE WAYS
IN SELLING THEIR
GOODS TO THE WORLD.
AND AFTER THE CIVIL WAR
THERE WERE MANY OPPORTUNITIES
IN THE BUSINESS WORLD
SO THE YOUNG MEN
WHO WERE SHAKERS
WERE TEMPTED TO LEAVE,
AND DID LEAVE.
THEY DIDN'T NEED TO LEAVE
BECAUSE THEY WASN'T LOVED
BECAUSE THEY WERE LOVED.
IT'S JUST A YOUNG IDEA
OF "I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE."
BUT NO MATTER HOW MANY
YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE LEFT
THEY'VE MADE
BETTER MEN AND WOMEN
AND THEY ALL WILL
ALWAYS ADMIT THAT:
"I COULDN'T PUT UP
WITH THIS NEIGHBOR
IF I HADN'T HAD MY
SHAKER BRINGING-UP."
Woman:
"DECEMBER 1889.
"I'M SORRY TO HEAR OF
THE LOSS OF GROVELAND
"AND TO HEAR THAT NORTH UNION
MUST BE BROKEN UP.
"THE QUESTION VERY
NATURALLY ARISES:
WHICH SOCIETY NEXT?"
Man:
"AUGUST 1897.
"THE APPLE CROP
AT HARVARD FAILED.
"WE HAVE LEASED
OUR RURAL HOME TO DR. WATKINS
"FOR A SANITARIUM
AND HE IS NOW PUTTING IN
THE NECESSARY APPLIANCES."
Narrator:
THE 20th-CENTURY SHAKERS
GREW FLOWERS, HUNG PICTURES
READ NEWSPAPERS AND BOOKS
ON TRAVEL, HISTORY AND SCIENCE.
ORGANS AND EVEN SAXOPHONES WERE
INTRODUCED INTO THEIR MUSIC.
DOOR SHEDS BECAME PORCHES.
ROOF LINES SPROUTED
VICTORIAN CARVINGS
AND LINOLEUM AND
ORIENTAL CARPETS
COVERED POLISHED FLOORS.
Man:
"SAINTS ARE AS DESERVING
OF THE GOOD THINGS OF
THIS WORLD AS SINNERS."
ELDER FREDERIC EVANS.
Woman:
"1908.
THE SOCIETY AT SHIRLEY,
MASSACHUSETTS-- CLOSED."
Woman:
"1910.
"WATERVLIET, OHIO
AND PLEASANT HILL, KENTUCKY--
CLOSED."
Man:
"1912, UNION VILLAGE, OHIO--
CLOSED."
Woman:
"1917, ENFIELD, CONNECTICUT--
CLOSED."
Man:
"1918, HARVARD, MASSACHUSETTS--
CLOSED."
Woman:
"1922, SOUTH UNION, KENTUCKY--
CLOSED."
Man:
"1923, ENFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE--
CLOSED."
( no audio )
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
THE 19 SOCIETIES ALL LIVING
AND I WOULD GO AROUND
VISITING THEM.
YOU GO IN ONE SOCIETY
AND IF YOU GO TO ANOTHER,
YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME.
THE MANNERISMS ARE THE SAME
AND THE LOVE IS THE SAME.
Eldress Lindsay:
MOTHER ANN PROPHESIED
THAT THEY WOULD GET DOWN
TO AS MANY AS A CHILD
COULD COUNT ON ONE HAND
AND THERE WOULD BE A REVIVAL.
SO, IT STARTED IN 1774 WITH
NONBELIEVERS IN THE BEGINNING
SO IT COULD AGAIN.
Sister Barker:
I DON'T THINK IT WILL EVER DIE.
LIKE EVERYTHING, IT HAS ITS
PERIODS OF STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS
BUT I HAVE NOT THE LEAST DOUBT
THE SHAKERS WILL EVER DIE.
THIS IS GOD'S WORK.
WHAT COULD BRING IT TO AN END?
NOTHING THAT A HUMAN BEING,
THAT MORTALS DO.
Man:
AND IT HAS A NICE TAPE SEAT
AND A BEAUTIFUL COLOR.
HOW MUCH
FOR IT, PLEASE?
START ME OFF AT 500.
$500 TO START IT,
I'VE GOT 500, 750.
500, 600, SOMEONE.
600, WHERE?
600, 700?
700, EIGHT?
EIGHT I HAVE,
TO NINE?
NINE, AND TEN.
TEN AND 11, I'VE GOT
$1,000 EVEN, TO 11.
1,000 ONCE,
1,000 TWICE
AND THIRD
AND FINAL CALL.
IT'S OVER HERE,
IT'S YOURS.
Helen Upton:
EVERYTHING THEY DID
WAS IMBUED WITH RELIGION
BECAUSE EVERYTHING
MUST BE PERFECTLY DONE
AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GET
SO MANY PIECES DONE PER HOUR
BUT IT ALL HAD
TO BE PERFECTLY DONE.
AND IT DOES EXTEND TO YOU
AS YOU LOOK AT IT
THE SENSE OF SERENITY
AND ALMOST MAKES YOU FEEL
THAT, WELL, YOU COULDN'T
DO WHAT THEY DO
BUT WHATEVER YOU DO SHOULD
BE AS WELL DONE AS POSSIBLE.
EVERYTHING
AUTHENTICALLY CHRISTIAN
IS ROOTED IN THE FACT
THAT I WISH TO BE CONNECTED
TO GOD, AND I SEE THAT I'M NOT
AND THEREFORE,
THIS PRODUCES A KIND OF FIRE
A KIND OF YEARNING
AND THAT IS THE CORE
OF EVERYTHING REAL
THAT WOULD HAPPEN
IN A SPIRITUAL LIFE.
HOW THEY MANAGED TO HOLD
THAT TOGETHER FOR SO LONG
MUST HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH
THE COMMUNAL RELATIONSHIPS;
WITH THE CRAFTS;
IT ALL CAME TOGETHER
AND PRODUCED A TERRIFIC ENERGY
THAT KEPT GOING FOR A LONG TIME.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME
IF I WAS GLAD I MADE
THIS LIFE CHOICE.
I COULDN'T HAVE WANTED
ANYTHING MORE
BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS TRIED
TO DO IT THOROUGHLY.
I MADE UP MY MIND LONG AGO
WHAT I WANTED TO DO
AND I NEVER HAVE
CHANGED MY MIND FROM IT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THINGS
HAVE ALWAYS BEEN EASY.
THEY HAVEN'T.
BUT I DID HAVE
MY MIND MADE CLEAR TO ME
THAT THAT WAS
THE WORK I WANTED TO BE IN
AND NOTHING WOULD
DETER ME FROM IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE
REMEMBERED BY THE WORLD
THAT I REALLY ACCEPTED THE
PRINCIPLES OF THE SHAKER CHURCH
AND LIVED BY THEM.
IT'S ONE THING
TO TALK ABOUT THEM
ONE THING TO READ YOUR BIBLE,
BUT ANOTHER THING TO LIVE IT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE
REMEMBERED AS A TRUE SHAKER.
THE IMPRESSION PEOPLE GIVE TO US
THAT WE KNOW THAT
WE'RE GIVING THEM A FEELING
THAT THEY'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED.
THEY FEEL LOVE AND THE INFLUENCE
WHEN THEY STEP HERE
INTO THIS VILLAGE.
THIS PARTICULAR LADY CAME INTO
THE FRONT HALL AND SHE SAID:
"WHEN I CAME UP THE ROAD
AND SAW THE WHITE BUILDINGS
IT WAS JUST LIKE A BLANKET OF
BLESSING THAT WENT AROUND ME."
VERY PROUD OF MY HERITAGE
AND I'M SO GLAD TO SHARE
WHAT WE'VE HAD AND
WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED
WITH ALL THAT
COME IN OUR PRESENCE.
IT MAKES IT NICE.
DO YOU WANT ANOTHER ONE?
Man:
SURE.
♪ OH, MY SWEET SHAKER HOME ♪
♪ OH, MY SWEET SHAKER HOME ♪
♪ 'TIS MY JOY,
'TIS MY ETERNAL SONG ♪
♪ HERE IN STRAIGHT PATHS
I'M LED ♪
♪ AND WITH PURITY FED ♪
♪ OH, THERE'S NO PLACE
LIKE MY SHAKER HOME. ♪
"THE PECULIAR GRACE
OF A SHAKER CHAIR
"IS DUE TO THE FACT
THAT IT WAS MADE BY SOMEONE
CAPABLE OF BELIEVING THAT AN
ANGEL MIGHT COME AND SIT ON IT."
THOMAS MERTON.
Woman:
"ARE YOU FREE AS YOU ARE?
"ARE YOU IN ANY DEGREE BOUND
BY YOUR APPETITES, YOUR PASSIONS
"YOUR SELF-WILL?
"ARE YOU AT ALL IN BONDAGE TO
THE OPINION OF YOUR NEIGHBORS
"TO THE CUSTOMS
AND NOTIONS OF SOCIETY
"HOWEVER HARMFUL OR ABSURD?
THESE DO NOT TRAMMEL
THE TRUE SHAKER."
ELDRESS ANNA WHITE.
( cock crows )
Man:
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE SIMPLE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE FREE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE HUMBLE ♪
♪ YEA, BOW LIKE
THE WILLOW TREE. ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE SIMPLE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE FREE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE HUMBLE ♪
♪ YEA, BOW LIKE
THE WILLOW TREE. ♪
♪ I WILL BOW,
THIS IS THE TOKEN ♪
♪ I WILL WEAR THE EASY YOKE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE BROKEN ♪
♪ YEA, I'LL FALL UPON THE ROCK ♪
♪ I WILL BOW,
THIS IS THE TOKEN ♪
♪ I WILL WEAR THE EASY YOKE ♪
♪ I WILL BOW AND BE BROKEN ♪
♪ YEA, I'LL FALL
UPON THE ROCK. ♪
( cock crows )
Narrator:
THEY CALLED THEMSELVES
"THE UNITED SOCIETY OF BELIEVERS
IN CHRIST'S SECOND APPEARING"
BUT BECAUSE OF
THEIR ECSTATIC DANCING
THE WORLD CALLED THEM "SHAKERS."
THEY WERE ORDINARY PEOPLE
WHO GAVE UP EVERYTHING--
HOMES, FAMILIES
AND LIVELIHOODS--
TO PUT INTO DAILY PRACTICE
WHAT THEY CALLED
"AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANITY."
75 YEARS BEFORE
THE EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVES
AND 150 YEARS BEFORE
WOMEN BEGAN VOTING IN AMERICA
THE SHAKERS WERE PRACTICING
SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND SPIRITUAL
EQUALITY FOR ALL MEMBERS.
THEY BELIEVED
IN PACIFISM AND FEMINISM
FREEDOM FROM PREJUDICE,
NATURAL HEALTH AND HYGIENE
AND JOYFUL PERSONAL WORSHIP.
THE SHAKERS WERE CELIBATE.
THEY DID NOT MARRY
OR BEAR CHILDREN.
YET THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST
ENDURING RELIGIOUS EXPERIMENTS
IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
THEIR RADICAL VIEWS
WERE SO CHALLENGING
THEIR WAY OF LIFE SO APPEALING
THAT THE "WORLD'S PEOPLE,"
AS THEY CALLED OUTSIDERS
FLOCKED TO THIS
NEW AMERICAN RELIGION.
THEY ARE, IN MANY WAYS,
THE AMERICAN DREAM.
THEY ENCOMPASS
ALL OF THE IDEAS OF AMERICA--
ITS INDIVIDUALISM AS WELL AS
ITS COLLECTIVISM-- IN ONE AREA.
THEY EXPERIMENT WITH IT
AND THEY ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL
AND YET THEY ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL.
IN TERMS OF LASTING,
THEY PERHAPS ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL.
IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTE
THEY WILL CONTINUALLY
BE SUCCESSFUL, IN MY VIEW.
Woman:
"I SAW A LARGE TREE
"EVERY LEAF OF WHICH
SHONE WITH A BRIGHTNESS
"AS MADE IT APPEAR
LIKE A BURNING TORCH.
"I KNEW THAT GOD HAD
A CHOSEN PEOPLE IN AMERICA--
"I SAW THEM IN A VISION--
AND WHEN I MET WITH THEM
IN AMERICA, I KNEW THEM."
MOTHER ANN.
Narrator:
SHAKERISM WAS FOUNDED
BY A WOMAN.
SHE WAS AN ILLITERATE ENGLISH
FACTORY WORKER NAMED ANN LEE.
GUIDED BY DIVINE VISIONS
AND SIGNS
SHE AND EIGHT FOLLOWERS
CAME TO AMERICA IN 1774
TO SPREAD HER GOSPEL IN
THE FREEDOM OF THE NEW WORLD.
AT THEIR HEIGHT IN 1840
MORE THAN 6,000 BELIEVERS
LIVED IN 19 COMMUNAL VILLAGES
FROM NEW ENGLAND
TO OHIO AND KENTUCKY.
FOR A TIME,
THEIR EXPERIMENT WORKED
SERVING AS A MODEL
FOR THE WORLD'S UTOPIANS
AND PRODUCING SOME OF
THE GREATEST ARCHITECTURE
IN AMERICA.
TODAY, LESS THAN A DOZEN SHAKERS
STILL LIVE IN TWO
200-YEAR-OLD VILLAGES
IN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
THESE ARE THE LAST SHAKERS.
MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY
WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD
AND MY FATHER REMARRIED
AND MY STEPMOTHER DIDN'T
LIKE MY LITTLE SISTER AND I
BECAUSE SHE HAD
A BOY AND A GIRL OF HER OWN
SO MY FATHER EVENTUALLY
HEARD OF THE SHAKERS IN MAINE
SO HE PLACED US THERE,
AND I WAS DELIGHTED.
YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE THAT
THE SISTERS WEREN'T RELATIVES
BECAUSE THEY LOVED YOU.
THEY'D MAKE YOUR LIFE HAPPY.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU WENT
YOU FELT THAT LOVE, YOU KNOW
AND YOU KNEW THAT
WHATEVER CAME UP
YOU COULD GO TO ANY OF THEM
AND GET COUNSEL AND BE LOVED.
Narrator:
THE SHAKERS BELIEVED
THAT IDEAS COULD TAKE FORM
AND THAT GOD DWELT
IN THE DETAILS OF THEIR WORK
AND THE QUALITY OF
THEIR CRAFTSMANSHIP.
THEY AIMED AT NOTHING LESS
THAN THE TRANSFORMATION
OF EARTH INTO HEAVEN
SO THEY STROVE FOR PERFECTION
IN EVERYTHING THEY DID.
THERE WAS NO ORNAMENT
OR WASTED EFFORT.
CRAFTSMEN RARELY
SIGNED THEIR WORK.
IT WAS SIMPLE
THE WAY THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
WAS SIMPLE.
THEY WERE INVENTORS.
THEY DESIGNED DOZENS
OF LABOR-SAVING MACHINES
AND DESIGNED AND BUILT
ALL THEIR OWN FURNITURE.
THEY WOVE WATER-REPELLENT CLOTH
MADE FABRIC
THAT NEEDED NO IRONING
AND INVENTED
THE COMMON CLOTHESPIN.
THEY TURNED THE ROUND BROOM
INTO A FLAT ONE
AND THEY WERE FAMOUS FOR THEIR
CLOAKS, OVAL BOXES AND CHAIRS.
Woman:
THEIR WORK IS WONDERFUL.
IT IS AN EXPRESSION
OF THEM, REALLY.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO SEE
THE SHAKERS WITH THEIR ARTIFACTS
TO UNDERSTAND THEM
BECAUSE THE SIMPLICITY
OF THE FURNITURE
THE CRAFTSMANSHIP, THE BEAUTY,
THE CARE WITH WHICH IT'S DONE
ALL EXEMPLIFY THE WAY THEY LIVE.
PEOPLE LOOK IN UPON US,
AND THE FIRST THING THEY SAY IS
"THEY'RE THE PEOPLE
THAT MADE NICE FURNITURE."
AND I SAID, "I KNOW, AND
I ALMOST EXPECT TO BE REMEMBERED
AS A CHAIR OR A TABLE."
BUT PEOPLE THAT COME IN
FEELING THAT WAY
THEY FORGET
WHAT'S BEHIND THAT WORK.
THERE'S THE RELIGION
THAT PRODUCED
THE GOOD CHAIRS AND TABLES
BECAUSE EVERYTHING THEY PUT
THEIR HAND TO WAS WELL DONE.
Man:
"IF THEIR PRINCIPLES
"ARE MAINTAINED AND SUSTAINED
BY A PRACTICAL LIFE
"IT IS DESTINED EVENTUALLY
TO OVERTHROW
ALL OTHER RELIGIONS."
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Narrator:
DURING HER LIFETIME
NO IMAGE OF ANY KIND
WAS MADE OF ANN LEE.
SHE WAS BORN ON LEAP YEAR,
FEBRUARY 29, 1736
IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.
EVEN AS A CHILD
SHE WAS TORMENTED BY A SENSE
OF HER OWN IMPURITY.
FORCED BY HER PARENTS TO MARRY
SHE BORE FOUR CHILDREN,
ALL OF WHOM DIED.
Woman:
"SOON AFTER I SET OUT
TO TRAVEL IN THE WAY OF GOD
"I LABORED A-NIGHTS
"CONTINUALLY CRYING
FOR MY OWN REDEMPTION
"AND IN THE DAYTIME
"I PUT MY HANDS TO WORK
AND MY HEART TO GOD.
"MY SUFFERINGS WERE SO GREAT
"THAT MY FLESH
CONSUMED UPON MY BONES
AND I BECAME AS HELPLESS
AS AN INFANT."
Narrator:
SHE STRUGGLED ALONE
FOR NINE YEARS
UNTIL IN 1770 SHE HAD
A DAZZLING VISION OF JESUS.
Woman:
"AT LAST MY SOUL
BROKE FORTH TO GOD
"WHICH I FELT AS SENSIBLY
AS EVER A WOMAN DID A CHILD
WHEN SHE WAS DELIVERED OF IT."
Narrator:
HER REVELATION WAS ACCEPTED BY
A SMALL GROUP OF ENGLISH QUAKERS
KNOWN FOR THEIR VIOLENT
EXERCISES OF BODY AND SOUL
AS SHAKING QUAKERS,
OR "SHAKERS."
TO THEM, ANN LEE
BECAME "MOTHER ANN."
BUT THEY WERE NOT
WELCOME IN ENGLAND.
Man:
AMERICA IS THE LAND OF ZERO.
START FROM ZERO.
WE START FROM NOTHING.
THAT'S THE IDEAL OF AMERICA.
WE START ONLY
FROM OUR OWN REASON
OUR OWN LONGING, OUR OWN SEARCH.
THIS IS THE NATION THAT
CUT ITS TIES WITH TRADITION.
IT COMES OUT OF MANY IMPULSES,
SOME OF THEM NOT SO HONORABLE
BUT AMONG THE HONORABLE ONES IS:
"NOBODY IS GOING TO TELL ME
HOW TO RELATE TO GOD.
I'M GOING TO FIND IT
FROM INSIDE MYSELF."
THIS IS THE GENIUS
OF PROTESTANTISM
AND, IN PART,
THE GENIUS OF AMERICA.
Narrator:
ON THE EVE OF THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
ANN LEE AND HER SMALL GROUP
CAME TO AMERICA.
THEY SETTLED
NEAR ALBANY, NEW YORK
IN A FRONTIER WILDERNESS
CALLED NISKAYUNA BY THE INDIANS
AND LATER KNOWN AS WATERVLIET.
AS THE WAR DRAGGED ON
A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL
ALSO SWEPT THE COUNTRYSIDE.
WORD SPREAD OF A STERN AND GODLY
WOMAN WHO WALKED WITH JESUS
WHO KNEW EACH ONE'S
PAST AND FUTURE
AND WHO COULD SAVE ANY
WHO CONFESSED THEIR SINS.
Woman:
"I NEVER MADE ANY
PROFESSION TO RELIGION
"ALTHOUGH I HAD MANY SERIOUS
THOUGHTS ABOUT MY SOUL
"AND AT TIMES I WAS AFRAID
I SHOULD GO TO HELL.
"IN THE SPRING, I HEARD OF
A STRANGE PEOPLE ABOVE ALBANY
"WHO SAID THEY SERVED GOD
DAY AND NIGHT
"AND DID NOT COMMIT SIN.
"WHEN I ARRIVED,
I WAS LED TO MOTHER ANN.
"AS I SAT BY THE SIDE OF HER
"ONE OF HER HANDS
FREQUENTLY TOUCHED MY ARM
"AND I INSTANTLY FELT
THE POWER OF GOD
RUN THROUGH MY WHOLE BODY."
HANNAH CHAUNCY.
Woman:
♪ I HUNGER AND THIRST,
I HUNGER AND THIRST ♪
♪ AFTER TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS. ♪
Narrator:
THE FEARFUL AND THE CURIOUS
BEGAN TO COME
DRAWN BY MOTHER ANN'S
SIMPLE TESTIMONY.
Woman:
"GOD'S NATURE IS DUAL--
MALE AND FEMALE EQUALLY.
"CARNAL AFFECTIONS MUST DIE
"THAT SPIRITUAL AFFECTIONS
MAY LIVE
"AND ALL WHO WILL BE
TRUE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST
MUST LEAD A CELIBATE LIFE."
♪ ...MY SOUL CANNOT REST ♪
♪ AN OCEAN I SEE... ♪
"DO ALL YOUR WORK AS THOUGH
YOU HAD 1,000 YEARS TO LIVE
AND AS YOU WOULD IF YOU KNEW
YOU MUST DIE TOMORROW."
WHOEVER'S A CHRISTIAN
AND TAKES CHRIST'S TEACHINGS
INTO THEIR HEART
CHRIST IS IN THEIR BODY
IN SPIRIT.
WE LIVE BY CHRIST'S TEACHINGS
AND SO WE KNOW
THAT IF WE LOVE CHRIST
AND WE'RE GOING BY HIS TEACHINGS
AND HIS EXAMPLE
THEN CHRIST IS WITH US.
HE HAS COME ON EARTH.
IT TOOK QUITE A LOT OF TIME
TO GET PEOPLE USED TO THE IDEA
THAT WE WERE
SIMPLY CHRISTIAN PEOPLE
JUST EXPRESSING
OUR RELIGIOUS VIEWS
IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY
FROM THEY DID.
Narrator:
MOTHER ANN TRAVELED ON FOOT
ACROSS NEW ENGLAND.
AT EVERY STOP
THERE WERE MORE CONVERTS
BUT ALSO ANGRY CROWDS
WHICH ACCUSED HER OF
TREASON AND WITCHCRAFT.
AT ELIJAH WILD'S HOUSE
IN SHIRLEY, MASSACHUSETTS
SHE WAS ATTACKED BY A MOB
FOR STEALING A WIFE
AWAY FROM HER HUSBAND.
Man:
"THERE'S NO FEAR THAT THIS
OR ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS SECT
"THAT IS FOUNDED ALTOGETHER
ON FANATICISM AND FOLLY
WILL EVER ARRIVE
AT THE SMALLEST IMPORTANCE."
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER.
Narrator:
ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1784
AT NISKAYUNA
A SHAKER CONVERT
NAMED JOHN HOCKNELL
WROTE THAT HE SAW MOTHER ANN
WAFTED AWAY ON A GOLDEN CHARIOT.
WEAKENED BY YEARS OF
PERSECUTION, ANN LEE DIED.
HER WORK WAS DONE.
SHE WAS 48 YEARS OLD.
Man:
"THE TIME HAS COME
"FOR YOU TO GIVE UP YOUR SELVES
AND YOUR ALL TO GOD;
"TO POSSESS AS THOUGH
YOU POSSESSED NOT.
"WE SHALL HAVE
ONE MEETING TOGETHER
WHICH WILL NEVER BREAK UP."
Narrator:
ANN LEE LEFT A HANDFUL
OF INSPIRED LEADERS
AND THEY GAVE
THE SHAKER RELIGION ITS FORM.
TWO ELDERS AND TWO ELDRESSES
WOULD GOVERN EACH COMMUNITY
AND A CENTRAL MINISTRY
AT MOUNT LEBANON, NEW YORK
WOULD OVERSEE THE SOCIETIES.
IN 1785, AS A NEW
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
STRUGGLED TO FIND ITS FORM
THE FIRST COMMUNAL SHAKER
BUILDING-- A MEETINGHOUSE--
WAS CONSTRUCTED.
IT STOOD AS AN ARCHITECTURAL
EXPRESSION OF SPIRITUAL AIMS
AND A MODEL FOR TEN IDENTICAL
BUILDINGS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND.
Man:
"YE SHALL COME IN
AND GO OUT OF THIS HOUSE
"WITH REVERENCE AND GODLY FEAR.
"ALL MEN SHALL COME IN
AND GO OUT AT THE WEST DOORS
"AND ALL WOMEN
AT THE EAST DOORS.
"THERE SHALL BE NO WHISPERING,
TALKING OR LAUGHING
"FOR IT WAS BUILT
TO WORSHIP GOD IN
AND TO REPENT IN."
Woman:
"THE RAISING OF THE MEETINGHOUSE
AT HARVARD, MASSACHUSETTS
"WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN ONE NIGHT,
THAT TIME BEING CHOSEN
"SO THAT THE EYES OF THE WORLD
MIGHT NOT SEE THE PROCESS
WHICH WAS LOOKED UPON
AS A SACRED RITE."
Woman:
"AFTER I'VE DONE
MY WORK IN THIS WORLD
"THERE WILL BE A GREAT
INCREASE IN THE GOSPEL.
"SOULS WILL EMBRACE IT
BY HUNDREDS AND BY THOUSANDS.
"YOU WILL SEE PEACEABLE TIMES,
AND YOU MAY WORSHIP GOD
UNDER YOUR OWN VINE
AND FIG TREES."
MOTHER ANN.
Narrator:
THEY DID COME,
BY HUNDREDS AND BY THOUSANDS
FROM ALSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE,
AND GUILFORD, VERMONT
AND LEYDEN, MASSACHUSETTS
FROM ALFRED, MAINE,
AND PORTLAND, CONNECTICUT
AND PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND.
THEY SIGNED THE COVENANT
ENTERING INTO
THE SHAKER CHURCH.
HUSBANDS AND WIVES
BECAME BROTHERS AND SISTERS
IN HOLY FAMILIES.
CHILDREN WENT
INTO THEIR OWN ORDER
AND PROPERTY WENT
TO THE COMMON GOOD.
MANY WERE ATTRACTED
BY THE POWER AND SINCERITY
OF THE NEW RELIGION.
FOR OTHERS IT WAS
A DIFFICULT DECISION.
"WE ARE THE PEOPLE,"
CLAIMED THE SHAKERS
"WHO TURNED THE WORLD
UPSIDE DOWN."
Woman:
"I WAS AFRAID IT
WAS THE WAY OF GOD
"AND THAT I WOULD
HAVE TO EMBRACE IT
"OR NEVER FIND SALVATION.
"MANY EMBRACED THE TESTIMONY
DURING THAT SUMMER
"AND THE MORE I SAW,
THE MORE I BECAME CONVICTED
"THAT IT WAS THE WORK OF GOD
AND I FELT A STING OF CONSCIENCE
THAT I CANNOT WELL DESCRIBE."
SISTER HANNAH CHAUNCY.
WELL, I CAME TO THE SHAKERS
AS A CHILD, SEVEN YEARS OLD
AND IT TOOK SOME LITTLE TIME
FOR ME TO COME TO THE PLACE
WHERE I GREW THIS DEEP LOVE
FOR THEM.
BUT I ALMOST DID IMMEDIATELY,
I LOVED THEM.
AND THERE NEVER CAME A PLACE
IN MY LIFE
THAT IT DIDN'T MEAN A GREAT DEAL
MORE TO ME THAN ANYTHING ELSE
BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE RELIGION
AT THAT TIME--
IT WAS THE LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE
THAT I WAS WITH.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE
A GREAT DEAL OF SHAKERISM STARTS
IS A LOVE FOR PEOPLE
BECAUSE YOU'RE DRAWN
TO THE LIFE THEY'RE LIVING.
Woman:
"ONE AFTERNOON
I WAS AT A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE
"WHEN TWO YOUNG WOMEN
ATTIRED IN SHAKER COSTUMES
"ENTERED THE REAR DOOR.
"THEY SAID THE SHAKERS
"ALWAYS LIVED
ACCORDING TO THEIR PROFESSION
"WERE HONEST AND UPRIGHT
"BUT THEY DID NOT WISH TO LIVE
A CELIBATE LIFE ANY LONGER.
"A STRANGE SENSATION
SEEMED TO CREEP OVER ME
"AND SOMETHING LIKE A VOICE
SAID, 'WHY LISTEN TO THEM?
"'GO TO THE SHAKERS.
SEE FOR YOURSELF
WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE.'"
Man:
"THE FIRST PEOPLE IN AMERICA,
AND ACTUALLY THE WORLD
"TO CREATE A SOCIETY
ON THE BASIS OF COMMON PROPERTY
"ARE THE SO-CALLED SHAKERS.
"ALTHOUGH THEIR RELIGIOUS VIEWS
"AND ESPECIALLY
THE PROHIBITION OF MARRIAGE
"FRIGHTENED MANY AWAY
"THEY HAVE NEVERTHELESS
FOUND A FOLLOWING
"AND NOW HAVE
11 LARGE COMMUNITIES
EACH 300 TO 800 STRONG."
FRIEDRICH ENGELS.
Man:
"NO DUTCH TOWN
HAS A NEATER ASPECT
"NO MORAVIAN HAMLET
A SOFTER HUSH.
"EVERY BUILDING,
WHATEVER MAY BE ITS USE
"HAS SOMETHING OF
THE AIR OF A CHAPEL.
"THE PAINT IS ALL FRESH,
THE PLANKS ARE ALL BRIGHT
"THE WINDOWS ARE ALL CLEAN
"AND EVERYTHING IN THE HAMLET
LOOKS AND SMELLS
"LIKE HOUSEHOLD THINGS
THAT HAVE LONG BEEN LAID UP
IN LAVENDER AND ROSE LEAVES."
HEPWORTH DIXON.
Man:
"THEY INFORM YOU THAT THEY WISH
TO REPRESENT HEAVEN ON EARTH.
"THEIR VOW IS CELIBACY
"AND THEY HAVE
EVERYTHING IN COMMON.
"HOW THEY MANAGE WITH
THEIR COMBS AND TOOTHBRUSHES
I DID NOT PRESUME TO ASK."
ARCHIBALD MAXWELL.
Man:
"I ARRIVED AT THEIR TOWN
ON SUNDAY, ABOUT 11:00.
"WHEN I GOT IN VIEW OF THEIR
CHURCH, I HEARD A DOLEFUL NOISE.
"AS I APPROACHED NEARER,
"THE SOUND BROKE WITH INCREASING
STRENGTH ON MY EARS.
"THE AIR WAS FILLED WITH
PIERCING SHRIEKS, SHOUTS
"AND CONFUSED ACCLAMATIONS
"RESEMBLING THE WILD AND
MADDENED TENANTS OF BEDLAM.
I WAS TOLD THAT THE SHAKERS
WERE AT WORSHIP."
THE RICHMOND INQUIRER.
Woman:
"THEY FILED OFF
IN A DOUBLE CIRCLE
"ONE CIRCLE GOING ONE WAY
"THE OTHER, TWO OR THREE ABREAST
LABORING AROUND THIS LARGE HALL
"KNEES BENT,
HANDS PADDLING LIKE FINS
"AND VOICES CHANTING WILD AIRS
LIKE SO MANY WITCHES
WORKING OVER THE CAULDRON."
FANNY APPLETON LONGFELLOW.
Woman:
♪ I NEVER DID BELIEVE ♪
♪ THAT I EVER COULD BE SAVED ♪
♪ WITHOUT GIVING UP
ALL TO GOD ♪
♪ I NEVER DID BELIEVE ♪
♪ THAT I EVER COULD BE SAVED ♪
♪ WITHOUT GIVING UP
ALL TO GOD ♪
♪ SO I FREELY GIVE THE WHOLE ♪
♪ MY BODY AND MY SOUL ♪
♪ TO THE LORD GOD, AMEN. ♪
Narrator:
THE SHAKERS BELIEVED
THAT DANCING BROUGHT THEM
CLOSER TO GOD.
BUT THEY ONLY PRACTICED
THE IMPULSIVE, FRENZIED WORSHIP
THEY WERE KNOWN FOR
DURING THEIR FIRST TEN YEARS.
AFTER MOTHER ANN'S DEATH,
IT LATER EVOLVED
INTO A REHEARSED,
ORDERLY AND PATTERNED RITUAL.
♪ LET ME HAVE MOTHER'S GOSPEL ♪
♪ MOTHER'S SOUL-SAVING GOSPEL ♪
♪ THAT SAME LIFE THAT SHE LIVED,
THAT SHE TAUGHT IN HER DAY ♪
♪ FREE FROM ALL THAT IS CARNAL ♪
♪ BREATHING LIFE, LIFE ETERNAL ♪
♪ FROM THE WORLD,
FROM THE FLESH ♪
♪ 'TIS AWAY, FAR AWAY. ♪
Woman:
"SABBATH.
"PUBLIC MEETING AS USUAL.
"THE MEETINGHOUSE WAS VERY MUCH
CROWDED WITH BELIEVERS
"AND THE WORLD'S PEOPLE.
"IT IS JUDGED THERE WERE
500 OF THE WORLD
"ATTENDED ONE MEETING TODAY.
WE SANG, WE DANCED, WE SHOUTED."
Man:
"THE MUSIC WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING
I HAD EVER HEARD--
"BEAUTIFUL, IMPRESSIVE
AND DEEPLY SOLEMN.
"THEIR SONGS AND HYMNS BREATHE
A PURE AND CHRISTIAN SPIRIT
"AND THEIR MUSIC
CAPTIVATES THE EAR
BECAUSE OF ITS SEVERE SIMPLICITY
AND PERFECT MELODY."
Sister Mildred:
THOSE SONGS HAVE SO MANY
MESSAGES IN THEM
AND VERY OFTEN, IF YOU
CAN'T EXPRESS IT YOURSELF
THE WORDS OF THE SONGS
BRING IT OUT.
TO ME, THE SONGS HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN A GREAT PART OF MY FAITH.
I'VE FOUND SO MANY
ANSWERS IN THE SONGS--
ESPECIALLY THE OLD ONES.
THE LITTLE SONG
I'M ABOUT TO SING
WAS WRITTEN BY
ONE OF THE SHAKER SISTERS
HERE IN CANTERBURY
AND TAUGHT TO ME
BY SISTER ANNIE BAKER
WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.
♪ I WANT TO BE CLEAN
AND HOLY ALL OVER ♪
♪ THAT MOTHER'S RICH BLESSING
MY SPIRIT MAY COVER ♪
♪ I'LL BRUSH UP MY GARMENTS
AS CLEAN AS I CAN ♪
♪ SO MOTHER CAN OWN ME,
HER WHITE LITTLE LAMB. ♪
Narrator:
IN THEIR HUGE FAMILY DWELLINGS,
THE SEXES WERE KEPT APART.
MEN LIVED ON ONE SIDE,
WOMEN ON THE OTHER
USING SEPARATE DOORS
AND STAIRWAYS AT ALL TIMES.
THEY WERE TAUGHT THAT
TO DISCIPLINE THE BODY
WAS TO FEED THE SPIRIT
SO THEIR DAILY LIFE
WAS GOVERNED BY RITUAL.
THEY DRESSED
THE RIGHT SIDE FIRST
STEPPED RIGHT FOOT
FIRST ON STAIRS
KNELT WITH THE RIGHT KNEE FIRST
AND HARNESSED
THE RIGHT-HAND HORSE FIRST.
THEY CUT THEIR BREAD
AND MEAT SQUARE.
DIAGONAL SHORTCUTS
WERE DISCOURAGED.
AT DAY'S END
BELIEVERS WERE TOLD
TO REST IN THE FEAR OF GOD
AND LIE STRAIGHT.
CELIBACY EXISTS
IN EVERY RELIGIOUS TRADITION
IN ONE OR ANOTHER FORM,
FOR SHORT OR LONG PERIODS.
IT CERTAINLY IS
ONE HONORABLE WAY
OF UNDERSTANDING
COMMITMENT TO GOD:
TO SACRIFICE THAT SORT OF
PERSONAL JOY IN A RELATIONSHIP
FOR THE OTHER.
BUT YOU HAVE TO BRING IN
THIS QUESTION OF ENERGY--
WHERE THEY GET
THEIR ENERGY FROM.
THE ENERGY OF THE SHAKERS
AS I SEE IT
IS WHAT'S EXTRAORDINARY;
THE CREATIVE ENERGY.
AND THIS MUST HAVE COME,
TO SOME EXTENT
FROM THE AUTHENTIC SUBLIMATION
OF THE SEXUAL ENERGY.
Narrator:
THE IDEA OF CELIBACY
INTRIGUED AND THREATENED
THE WORLD'S PEOPLE
BUT FOR THE SHAKERS
THIS SACRIFICE WAS
THE CORE OF THEIR STRUGGLE
TO BE CLOSER TO GOD.
Eldress Soule:
YOUR MISSION MAY BE TO MARRY
AND BRING
A NEW LIFE INTO THE WORLD.
OUR MISSION IS TO LIVE THE LIFE
OF CHRIST AS NEAR AS WE CAN
AND DO FOR ALL.
BUT WE BLESS MARRIAGE
BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY
DIDN'T HAVE LITTLE ONES
WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY SHAKERS.
Woman:
"THE NEXT OPENING OF THE GOSPEL
WILL BE IN THE SOUTHWEST.
"IT WILL BE AT A GREAT DISTANCE
AND THERE WILL BE
A GREAT WORK OF GOD."
MOTHER ANN.
Narrator:
IN 1800, KENTUCKY
WAS THE FRONTIER--
"A STATE FULL OF UNBOUNDED
OPTIMISM," ONE OBSERVER WROTE
WHICH RELEGATED RELIGION
TO A PLACE OF MINOR IMPORTANCE.
YET WITHIN A YEAR
A HANDFUL OF PREACHERS
IGNITED A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL
THAT TURNED KENTUCKY
INTO A MASS CAMP MEETING.
SETTLERS CONGREGATED
UNDER TREES, IN FIELDS AND TENTS
IN PRIMITIVE CHURCHES
MADE OF TIMBER AND MUD.
FOLLOWING THE PATTERN BACK EAST
THE SHAKERS BROUGHT
THEIR MISSION TO THE FRONTIER
IN THE HEAT OF
A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL.
IN 1805
WHILE LEWIS AND CLARK WERE
EXPLORING THE GREAT NORTHWEST
THE MOUNT LEBANON MINISTRY
SENT THREE BELIEVERS TO KENTUCKY
TO GATHER IN THE RESTLESS.
THE MEN TRAVELED
1,233 MILES ON FOOT
IN TWO MONTHS AND 22 DAYS.
Man:
"LIKE GOD'S HUNTERS
"WE WENT THROUGH
THIS WILD, WOODEN WORLD
"HUNTING UP EVERY SOUL
THAT GOD HAD BEEN PREPARING
"FOR ETERNAL LIFE.
"THE PEOPLE SUCKED IN OUR LIGHT
"AS GREEDILY
AS EVER AN OX DRANK WATER
"AND ALL WONDERED
WHERE THEY HAD BEEN
AND NOT SEEN
THESE THINGS BEFORE."
BROTHER ISSACHAR BATES.
Narrator:
ON A BLUEGRASS HILL
NEAR THE KENTUCKY RIVER
44 CONVERTS SIGNED THE COVENANT
AND ESTABLISHED A VILLAGE
CALLED PLEASANT HILL.
THE RIVER CONNECTED
THE SHAKERS TO MARKETS
DOWN THE OHIO AND MISSISSIPPI.
FROM THE RIVER'S PALISADES
CAME THE LIMESTONE
FOR THEIR BUILDINGS.
THE MATERIAL WAS
UNFAMILIAR TO THEM
AND THE FIRST LIMESTONE
BUILDING, BUILT IN 1809
DIDN'T SATISFY THEM.
BUT IN 1811, AFTER STUDYING
WITH LOCAL CRAFTSMEN
THE SHAKERS BUILT A SECOND,
IDENTICAL LIMESTONE BUILDING.
THIS TIME IT WAS FLAWLESS.
BY THE TIME THE ERIE CANAL
OPENED IN 1825
THERE WERE TWO SHAKER
SOCIETIES IN KENTUCKY
FOUR IN OHIO,
ANOTHER IN INDIANA.
THE WESTERN SHAKERS HAD
A PARTICULARLY PROGRESSIVE
SHAKER SPIRIT.
THEY WERE THE FIRST
SHAKERS TO BIND BOOKS.
THEY ENJOYED PHOTOGRAPHY.
THEY RAISED SILKWORMS,
WOVE AND WORE SILK.
PLEASANT HILL WAS THE
FIRST KENTUCKY SETTLEMENT
WITH RUNNING WATER.
THEY DISTILLED WHISKEY FOR SALE.
FOR A TIME,
ONE SOCIETY RAN A HOTEL.
AND THEY WERE
ESPECIALLY RENOWNED
FOR THEIR WILD-EYED STRAIN
OF SHORTHORN CATTLE.
BUT INDIANA WAS THE
FARTHEST WEST THE SHAKERS GOT.
THE FRONTIER MOVED ON.
( bell ringing )
Woman:
"WE BELIEVED WE
WERE DEBTORS TO GOD
"IN RELATION
TO EACH OTHER AND TO ALL MEN
"TO IMPROVE OUR TIME
AND TALENTS IN THIS LIFE
IN THAT MANNER IN WHICH
WE MIGHT BE MOST USEFUL."
Narrator:
THE DAY OF WORK BEGAN
AT THE SOUND OF A BELL--
4:30 A.M. IN SUMMER,
5:30 IN WINTER.
15 MINUTES AFTER RISING
AND KNEELING FOR
A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER
THE BRETHREN WERE OFF
TO THEIR MORNING CHORES
AS THE SISTERS MOVED
THROUGH THE DWELLING
PUTTING THE ROOMS IN ORDER.
BY BREAKFAST, FIRES WERE GOING,
COWS MILKED AND FED
AND PREPARATIONS FOR
THE DAY'S WORK WERE COMPLETE.
Eldress Soule:
WE LITTLE GIRLS
WOULD GET UP AND DRESS
AND GET READY
TO GO TO BREAKFAST.
AND OF COURSE, THE BRETHREN
THEY'D GET A WHOLE DAY'S WORK
DONE BEFORE BREAKFAST
SO THEY WERE READY FOR
A NICE, GOOD BREAKFAST--
APPLE PIE
IN THE MORNING, ALWAYS.
SO THEY WERE REALLY HUNGRY.
YOU KNOW, OUR WORK
WAS ROTATED BY THE MONTH
AND SO WE DID NOT WORK
AT ONE TASK ALL THE TIME.
IT GAVE US OPPORTUNITY
TO LEARN EVERY TRADE
AND TO BE ABLE
TO CHANGE WITH SOMEBODY
IF THEY WERE NOT ABLE
TO CONTINUE DOING THAT.
Narrator:
WORK WAS WORSHIP WITH THE
SHAKERS-- AN ACT OF PIETY.
IT WAS THE PRACTICAL
SIDE OF RELIGION.
IT PROVIDED A SPECIFIC
DAILY OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE GOD
BY CARING FOR WHAT THEY DID.
DAILY LABORS AIMED NOT
FOR PRODUCTS OR PROFIT
BUT FOR PERFECTION.
ALL LABOR WAS CONSECRATED,
AND EVEN THE MOST MENIAL TASKS
WERE DIGNIFIED IN
THE SERVICE OF GOD.
Man:
"A MAN CAN SHOW HIS RELIGION
AS MUCH IN MEASURING ONIONS
AS HE CAN IN SINGING
'GLORY HALLELUJAH.'"
Narrator:
THE SHAKERS WERE
FARMERS AND CARPENTERS
AND PRINTERS AND BEEKEEPERS.
THEY WERE BAKERS, MERCHANTS,
CHEMISTS AND ARCHITECTS.
EVERYBODY WORKED,
AND EVERYBODY WORKED HARD.
THEY CARDED AND SPUN WOOL
AND COTTON, AND HATCHELED FLAX.
ON THEIR SHAKER LOOMS
THEY WOVE HANDKERCHIEFS
TOWELS, CARPETS AND SPREADS
PLUS FABRIC FOR THEIR OWN NEEDS.
THEY MADE PIPES, PINS,
NAILS, BROOMS AND MOPS
BUTTONS AND BUCKLES
AND GARDEN HOES.
THEY SOLD WINES, SAUCES, JELLIES
PICKLES AND KETCHUP AND SAUSAGE
MEDICINES AND HERBAL REMEDIES
AND, FOR A TIME, MOST OF
THE OPIUM USED IN AMERICA.
WHEN THE SHAKERS BEGAN
SELLING GARDEN SEED
PACKAGED IN PAPER BAGS THAT WERE
CUT, FOLDED, PASTED AND PRINTED
IN THEIR OWN SHOPS
FARMERS ACROSS THE NATION
ORDERED THEM BY THE MILLIONS.
AND THE INVENTION
OF THE CIRCULAR SAW
IS CREDITED TO A SHAKER SISTER.
YOU SEE, THE SHAKERS, BEING
INVENTORS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT
THEY WANTED TO INTRODUCE
INTO THE FAMILY
ANYTHING THAT WOULD MAKE
THE WORK LIGHTER
OR TO ADD PLEASURE
BECAUSE THE EXPERIENCE
OF BEING A SHAKER
IS NOT ONLY A HOME TO LIVE IN
IT GIVES THEM
A WONDERFUL SENSE OF HAVING
EVERYTHING TO MAKE LIFE JOYOUS
AND RELIGION SHOULD BE ANYWAY
A JOYOUS EXPERIENCE FOR PEOPLE.
Man:
"THE BEAUTIFUL, AS YOU CALL IT,
IS ABSURD AND ABNORMAL.
"IT HAS NO BUSINESS WITH US.
"ORDER IS HEAVEN'S FIRST LAW.
THERE IS NOT IN THE WHOLE
VILLAGE ONE LINE OF ORNAMENT."
ANYTHING REALLY NEW IN THOUGHT
AND IN MATERIAL LIFE
HAS TO HAVE ITS SOURCE
IN SOMETHING
THAT YOU HAVE TO CALL SPIRITUAL.
NOBODY CAN BE REALLY CREATIVE
UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING
SPIRITUAL BEHIND IT
WHETHER YOU... WHETHER IT GOES
BY THAT NAME OR NOT.
I MEAN, WHO INVENTED THE HOUSE
OR WHO INVENTED ANY
OF THE THINGS WE HAVE?
PROBABLY SOMEONE ENGAGED
IN SOME KIND OF SEARCH.
Narrator:
THEY HAD AN INSTINCT FOR
WHAT WORKED, WHAT WAS RIGHT.
SHAKER BUILDINGS WERE DESIGNED
WITH DELIBERATE SIMPLICITY.
IN THE ROUND STONE BARN
AT HANCOCK, MASSACHUSETTS
ONE BROTHER COULD
WALK AROUND ITS CENTER
AND FEED AN ENTIRE HERD
IN A FEW SHORT STEPS.
IT WAS BUILT INTO A SLOPE
AND HAD GROUND-LEVEL DOORS
ON ALL THREE STORIES.
THE HAY WAS HAULED IN AT THE TOP
AND PITCHED DOWN
TO THE STALLS BELOW.
THE SHAKERS NEVER SAW ANY SENSE
IN FIGHTING AGAINST GRAVITY.
WITH EVENING CHORES DONE
BELIEVERS RETURNED
TO THEIR ROOMS
FOR HALF AN HOUR OF MEDITATION.
EVENING ASSEMBLY BEGAN
AT THE SOUND OF ANOTHER BELL.
THEY MET SOMETIMES FOR WORSHIP,
SOMETIMES FOR SINGING
AND SOMETIMES TO SOCIALIZE.
Woman:
"MARCH 1842.
"THIS MONTH A GIFT WAS ANNOUNCED
"FOR EVERYONE TO MAKE
A REVIEW OF HIS LIFE.
"FOR THREE WEEKS IT WAS
ALMOST A PERPETUAL SABBATH.
"TEMPORAL DUTIES, EXCEPT THOSE
THAT WERE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY
"WERE MOSTLY LAID ASIDE.
MEETINGS WERE HELD
AT ALL HOURS."
SISTER MARCIA HASTINGS.
Woman:
"DECEMBER 31.
"WE KILLED CHICKENS
FOR THE MARKET THIS A.M.
"SOME OF THE INDIAN SPIRITS
MAKE THEMSELVES KNOWN
AND SPEAK IN MEETING
THIS EVENING."
Man:
"SABBATH, DECEMBER 13, 1843.
"WE HAD A VERY GOOD MEETING.
IN MEETING ABOUT 22 HOURS."
Woman:
"AUGUST 5.
"IT IS A GENERAL TIME
OF HEALTH AND PROSPERITY
IN THE DIFFERENT SOCIETIES."
Narrator:
60 YEARS AFTER MOTHER ANN'S
ARRIVAL IN AMERICA
17 SHAKER COMMUNITIES
WERE FLOURISHING
AND NEARLY 6,000 BELIEVERS
LIVED IN PEACEFUL ISOLATION
UNIMPEDED BY THE WORLD.
Man:
"A TREE HAS ITS WANTS AND WISHES
"AND A MAN SHOULD STUDY THEM
AS A TEACHER WATCHES A CHILD
"TO SEE WHAT HE CAN DO.
"IF YOU LOVE THE PLANT
AND TAKE HEED OF WHAT IT LIKES
YOU WILL BE REPAID BY IT."
ELDER FREDERICK EVANS.
Narrator:
AT ONE TIME, THE SHAKERS
AT CANTERBURY DISCOVERED
THAT SOME OF THEIR
POORER NEIGHBORS
WERE STEALING VEGETABLES
FROM THE GARDENS AT NIGHT.
IN RESPONSE, THEY
PLANTED EXTRA CROPS.
Woman:
"WE PLANT SOME FOR THE SHAKERS
"SOME FOR THE THIEVES
AND SOME FOR THE CROWS.
THIEVES AND CROWS
HAVE TO EAT, TOO."
IT WAS COMMON PRACTICE
FOR PEOPLE TO APPEAR IN THE FALL
WHEN THE WINTER SEASON
WAS ABOUT TO COME
AND ASK TO BE TAKEN IN
AND THEY WOULD PROFESS
THAT THEY WERE THINKING
OF JOINING THE SHAKERS.
WHEN SPRING CAME, OFF THEY'D BE.
AND THE SHAKERS
KNEW THIS PERFECTLY WELL
AND THEY LABELED THEM
"WINTER SHAKERS"
BUT THEY NEVER REFUSED
TO TAKE THEM IN.
Man:
"ON THE WHOLE, THEY LEAD
A GOOD AND COMFORTABLE LIFE
"AND IF IT WERE NOT FOR
THEIR RIDICULOUS CEREMONIES
"A MAN COULD NOT DO
A WISER THING THAN TO JOIN THEM.
"I SPOKE TO THEM
"ABOUT BECOMING A MEMBER
OF THEIR SOCIETY
BUT HAVE COME TO NO DECISION
ON THAT POINT."
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.
Woman:
"TODAY WE PURCHASED
JONAS CRUTCHER
"A COLORED MAN WHO HAD BEEN
A BELIEVER ABOUT 19 YEARS.
"WE HAVE BOUGHT HIM TO PREVENT
HIS BEING SOLD SOUTH.
HE WAS ACCEPTED ON EQUAL TERMS."
Man:
"IN THE SHAKERS,
I FIND ONE PEACE OF BELIEF
"IN THE DOCTRINE THAT ENCOURAGES
THEM TO OPEN THEIR DOOR
"TO EVERY WAYFARING MAN WHO
PROPOSES TO COME AMONG THEM.
"THEY DO NOT RECEIVE HIM,
AND THEY DO NOT REJECT HIM
"FOR THEY SAY THE SPIRIT
WILL PRESENTLY MANIFEST
"TO THE MAN HIMSELF
AND TO THE SOCIETY
"WHETHER HE BELONGS AMONG THEM.
"AND NOT IN VAIN HAVE THEY
DRUDGED IN THEIR FIELDS
"AND SHUFFLED
IN THEIR BRUIN DANCE
IF THEY HAVE TRULY
LEARNED THIS MUCH WISDOM."
RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
Man:
"IT IS WELL TO HAVE ONE'S NAME
SUCH A SYNONYM FOR HONESTY
"THAT ANYTHING CALLED BY IT
MAY BE BOUGHT AND SOLD
WITH PERFECT CONFIDENCE."
WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS,
ATLANTIC MONTHLY.
Man:
"IT IS NO MORE THAN MERE JUSTICE
"TO SAY THAT WE ARE
INDEBTED TO THE SHAKERS
"MORE THAN TO ANY OR ALL
OTHER SOCIAL ARCHITECTS
"OF MODERN TIMES.
"THEIR SUCCESS HAS BEEN
THE SOLID CAPITAL
"THAT HAS UPHELD
ALL THE PAPER THEORIES
AND COUNTERACTED THE FAILURES."
JOHN HUMPHREY NOYES.
Narrator:
IN THE DECADE OF THE 1840s
NO LESS THAN 100,000 AMERICANS
JOINED SCORES OF DIFFERENT
UTOPIAN EXPERIMENTS.
IT WAS THE AGE OF THE MORMONS
AND THE ONEIDANS
THE TRANSCENDENTALISTS
AT BROOK FARM
THE INTELLECTUAL COMMUNITIES
LIKE NEW HARMONY
RELIGIOUS SECTS LIKE AURORA,
AMANA, SKANEATELES
THE HARMONY SOCIETY, BISHOP HILL
AND THE ICARIANS.
OUT OF THIS MULTITUDE
OF EXPERIMENTS
THE SHAKERS WERE THE OLDEST
AND STILL SEEMED THE SOUNDEST.
Man:
"I DO NOT SEE HOW IT IS POSSIBLE
IN THE NATURE OF THINGS
"FOR ANY TRUE RELIGION
TO CONTINUE LONG
"FOR RELIGION MUST NECESSARILY
PRODUCE INDUSTRY AND FRUGALITY
"AND THIS CANNOT
BUT PRODUCE RICHES.
"BUT AS RICHES INCREASE,
SO WILL LOVE OF THE WORLD
IN ALL ITS BRANCHES."
JOHN WESLEY.
Narrator:
THE WORLD WHICH HAD
FINALLY ACCEPTED THE SHAKERS
BEGAN TO DRAW THEM AWAY.
SOME FOUND CELIBACY
TOO GREAT A SACRIFICE.
OTHERS SIMPLY COULD NOT
SUSTAIN THEIR FAITH.
HERVEY ELKINS
LEFT AFTER 15 YEARS
AT ENFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE
BECAUSE HE WISHED FOR
AN "INEXPRESSIBLE SOMETHING
WHICH WAS NOT THERE
TO BE FOUND."
A FEW WHO LEFT TOOK THE SACRED
RITUALS TO THE MARKETPLACE.
A POPULAR ACT
AT THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM
WAS THE PERFORMANCE OF ORIGINAL
DANCES BY FORMER MEMBERS.
Woman:
"TO A MAN OR A WOMAN
"NOT THOROUGHLY AND EARNESTLY
IN LOVE WITH AN ASCETIC LIFE
"AND DEEPLY DISGUSTED
WITH THE WORLD
"SHAKERISM WOULD BE UNENDURABLE.
IT IS NOT A COMFORTABLE PLACE
FOR HYPOCRITES OR PRETENDERS."
Man:
"PLEASANT HILL, KENTUCKY,
SEPTEMBER 13, 1815.
"THIS EVENING
POLLY HOOSER COMMITTED SUICIDE
"BY HANGING HERSELF.
"SHE COMMITTED THE ACT
IN THE SISTERS' SHOP
"ABOVE THE KITCHEN
AT THE WEST FAMILY.
"POLLY WAS 18 YEARS OF AGE
"A LARGE, LIKELY WOMAN,
AND NATURALLY AGREEABLE AND GOOD
BUT SHE SPOILED IT ALL."
Man:
"DIVINE INSPIRATION IS A VOICE
"THAT SPEAKS FROM THE SPIRIT
WORLD TO THE SOUL OF MAN.
"IF HE HAS ANY INTEREST
BEYOND THIS WORLD
"HE SHOULD KEEP HIMSELF IN
A POSITION TO HEAR THAT VOICE
UNDERSTAND ITS LANGUAGE
AND BOW TO ITS REQUIREMENTS."
Narrator:
BY THE 1840s, A WHOLE
GENERATION OF SHAKERS
HAD GROWN UP
NEVER KNOWING MOTHER ANN.
MATERIAL SUCCESS HAD INTRODUCED
A CERTAIN WORLDLINESS
BREEDING SOME IMPATIENCE
WITH TRADITIONAL DISCIPLINE
ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUNG.
BUT THEN AT WATERVLIET
THE SPIRIT OF MOTHER ANN
VISITED FOUR YOUNG GIRLS
INAUGURATING A REMARKABLE
PERIOD OF SPIRITUALISM
KNOWN AS "MOTHER ANN'S WORK."
Woman:
"I SAW THE WHOLE TREE
AS THE ANGEL HELD IT BEFORE ME
"AS DISTINCTLY AS I EVER
SAW A NATURAL TREE.
"I FELT VERY CAUTIOUS
WHEN I TOOK HOLD OF IT
"LEST THE BLAZE
SHOULD TOUCH MY HAND.
"SEEN AND RECEIVED
BY HANNAH COHOON
"IN THE CITY OF PEACE
"SABBATH, OCTOBER 9,
TENTH HOUR A.M., 1845.
PAINTED BY THE SAME HAND."
Narrator:
IT HAD ALL BEGUN WITH MOTHER
ANN'S FIRST VISION OF JESUS.
BUT NEVER BEFORE HAD THE
INSPIRATION BEEN SO DIRECT
OR SO VARIED.
THE SPIRITS OF DEPARTED
SHAKERS AND OTHERS--
GEORGE WASHINGTON,
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
AND THE INDIAN CHIEF TECUMSEH--
SPOKE THROUGH MEDIUMS.
SPIRIT DRAWINGS FILLED
WITH MESSAGES WERE PAINTED
CONTRARY TO THE LONG-STANDING
ORDER AGAINST ORNAMENT.
THE MESSAGE WAS PLAIN:
BELIEVERS HAD GROWN FORGETFUL
OF THE CALL TO SIMPLICITY.
THROUGH SYMBOLS
THEY WERE ENCOURAGED TO RETURN
TO A LIFE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Children:
♪ 'TIS A GIFT TO BE SIMPLE ♪
♪ 'TIS A GIFT TO BE FREE ♪
♪ 'TIS A GIFT TO COME ROUND
WHERE WE OUGHT TO BE... ♪
Narrator:
FROM THE BEGINNING
THE SHAKERS TOOK IN ORPHANS,
THE CHILDREN OF ADULT CONVERTS
GIVING THEM A SUPERB EDUCATION
THE FINEST HEALTH CARE
THE DEVOTED ATTENTION
OF SPIRITUAL PARENTS
AND AN OPPORTUNITY, AT 21
TO SIGN THE COVENANT
AND BECOME A TRUE SHAKER.
MANY LEFT, BUT
A GOOD NUMBER STAYED.
TO ME, A CHILD IS BROUGHT IN
AS A LITTLE GIRL
AND SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT
THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS LIKE
AND SHE GETS CURIOUS.
I NEVER BLAMED THEM
BECAUSE I KNOW
I'M CURIOUS MYSELF.
Woman:
"FEBRUARY 1, SABBATH, 1863.
"AT THIS TIME OUR MINDS
ARE SO MUCH CARRIED OFF
"WITH WARS AND RUMORS OF WAR
THAT OUR SPIRITUAL TRAVEL
IS GREATLY IMPEDED."
Narrator:
THE CIVIL WAR TESTED
THE SHAKERS' DEDICATION
TO THE IDEAL OF PACIFISM.
WHEN THE DRAFT LAW OF 1863
REQUIRED ALL YOUNG MEN TO ENLIST
ELDER FREDERIC EVANS
OF MOUNT LEBANON
PLEADED THE CASE OF SHAKER
PACIFISM WITH PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
"YOU OUGHT TO BE MADE TO FIGHT,"
LINCOLN TOLD HIM.
"WE NEED SUCH MEN AS YOU."
BUT HE GRANTED THE SHAKERS AN
EXEMPTION FROM MILITARY SERVICE
MAKING THEM AMONG THE FIRST
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS.
FREDERIC EVANS WAS PERHAPS
THE MOST VISIBLE AND OUTSPOKEN
SHAKER WHO EVER LIVED.
HE WAS PART OF A NEW BREED
OF MORE WORLDLY LEADERSHIP.
UNLIKE MOST OF HIS PREDECESSORS
HE HAD READ, TRAVELED AND
LECTURED ON SOCIAL REFORM.
NO VISION OF ANN LEE OR JESUS
OR ANGELS IN HEAVEN
HAD CONVINCED HIM TO JOIN.
IT WAS A MENTAL PHENOMENON,
HE SAID, WHICH ILLUMINATED HIM.
Man:
"I COULD SEE A CHAIN OF PROBLEMS
"AS IN A BOOK ALL SPREAD OUT
BEFORE ME
"STARTING FROM A FACT
WHICH I DID BELIEVE
"AND LEADING ME
STEP BY STEP MATHEMATICALLY
"TO A GIVEN CONCLUSION WHICH
I HAD NOT HITHERTO BELIEVED.
"I THEN DISCOVERED
"I HAD POWERS WITHIN ME
THAT I KNEW NOT OF.
I WAS REASONING
AS I NEVER BEFORE REASONED."
ELDER FREDERIC EVANS.
Narrator:
ELDRESS ANNA WHITE
WAS ALSO A LEADER
NOT ONLY AMONG SHAKERS, BUT
AMONG AMERICAN PROGRESSIVES.
UNDER HER GUIDANCE,
SHAKERS HELD A PEACE CONFERENCE
WITH DELEGATES
FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
THEY CALLED FOR
REDUCED ARMS AND TAXES
AN INTERNATIONAL POLICE FORCE
AND A WORLD COURT.
ANNA WHITE TOOK THE RESOLUTIONS
TO WASHINGTON
WHERE SHE WAS RECEIVED BY
PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
IT WAS SAID THAT
ROOSEVELT'S EYES NEVER WAVERED
FROM ANNA'S PIERCING LOOK.
IT WAS, AS ONE OBSERVER NOTED,
"TURK MEETS TURK."
ELDRESS ANNA WHITE,
MANY YEARS AGO
ASKED THIS QUESTION:
"AS THE ANCIENTS OF
THE CITY PASS AWAY
WHO WILL KEEP THE TESTIMONY
BURNING BRIGHT?"
WHICH WAS, INDEED,
A VERY SERIOUS QUESTION.
WHO WILL KEEP THE SHAKER LIGHT
BURNING BRIGHT AND CLEAR
AS THE YEARS GO ON?
Narrator:
ALL OF THE SOCIETIES
SURVIVED THE CIVIL WAR
BUT THE CHANGES
IN AMERICA WHICH FOLLOWED--
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND
THE GROWTH OF CITIES
AND PARTICULARLY
THE LOSS OF THE FRONTIER--
INTENSIFIED THE STEADY DECLINE
IN INDUSTRIES AND MEMBERSHIP
FROM WHICH THEY NEVER RECOVERED.
Man:
"WE AMERICANS LOVE LIBERTY
TOO MUCH
"TO JOIN SUCH SOCIETIES
AS THESE.
"WHAT ARE THEY
BUT PURE DESPOTISM
"WHERE ALL ARE SUBJECT
TO THE WILL OF ONE MAN
"A FEW LEADERS, OR EVEN A WOMAN?
"ARE NOT THESE PLACES OPPOSED
TO SCIENCE AND ALL IMPROVEMENTS?
"WE AMERICANS ARE
A GO-AHEAD PEOPLE
NOT TO BE CONFINED ANYWHERE
OR STOPPED BY ANYTHING."
JOHN FINCH.
Woman:
"IT IS THE UNDERSTANDING HERE
"THAT THE SOCIETY IS
GOING DOWN GRADUALLY
"ON THE MALE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
"THE OLDER BRETHREN
ARE DYING OFF RAPIDLY
"AND THE YOUNGER ONES
ARE RUNNING OFF MORE RAPIDLY.
"WE CANNOT PREVENT
A SPIRIT OF DISCOURAGEMENT
FROM GETTING IN
AMONG THE PEOPLE."
Man:
"OUR FAMILY IS GROWING
LESS FAST.
"MORE LABORERS ARE NEEDED.
"SEND THEM, LORD, WE PRAY.
THOU ALONE CANST HELP US."
Olive Hayden Austin:
ONE EVENING, I HAD FALLEN ASLEEP
AND I WAKENED
WITH ALMOST SEEMING LIKE
A VOICE SPEAKING TO ME
AND THE WORDS CAME TO ME
FROM THE BOOK OF PROVERBS:
"TRUST IN THE LORD
WITH ALL THINE HEART
"AND LEAN UNTO THINE
OWN UNDERSTANDING.
"IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM
AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS."
AND THIS SEEMED TO ME
LIKE A CALL
THAT AS I WAS FEELING THEN THAT
IT WAS RIGHT FOR ME TO LEAVE.
MY WORK HAD BEEN FINISHED THERE
AS LONG AS ALL MY
COMPANIONS HAD LEFT.
AND SEEMINGLY,
IT WAS THE THING FOR ME TO DO
BECAUSE WITHOUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO HOPES.
Man:
"WE USED TO HAVE
MORE LOOMS THAN NOW
"BUT CLOTH IS SOLD SO CHEAPLY
THAT WE GRADUALLY BEGAN TO BUY.
"IT IS A MISTAKE.
"WE BUY MORE CHEAPLY
THAN WE CAN MAKE
BUT OUR HOMEMADE CLOTH
IS MUCH BETTER THAN WE CAN BUY."
WHEN MASS PRODUCTION CAME ALONG
WHEN THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
REALLY GOT GOING
THE SHAKERS COULDN'T COMPETE,
EVEN IN THE SIMPLE WAYS
IN SELLING THEIR
GOODS TO THE WORLD.
AND AFTER THE CIVIL WAR
THERE WERE MANY OPPORTUNITIES
IN THE BUSINESS WORLD
SO THE YOUNG MEN
WHO WERE SHAKERS
WERE TEMPTED TO LEAVE,
AND DID LEAVE.
THEY DIDN'T NEED TO LEAVE
BECAUSE THEY WASN'T LOVED
BECAUSE THEY WERE LOVED.
IT'S JUST A YOUNG IDEA
OF "I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE."
BUT NO MATTER HOW MANY
YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE LEFT
THEY'VE MADE
BETTER MEN AND WOMEN
AND THEY ALL WILL
ALWAYS ADMIT THAT:
"I COULDN'T PUT UP
WITH THIS NEIGHBOR
IF I HADN'T HAD MY
SHAKER BRINGING-UP."
Woman:
"DECEMBER 1889.
"I'M SORRY TO HEAR OF
THE LOSS OF GROVELAND
"AND TO HEAR THAT NORTH UNION
MUST BE BROKEN UP.
"THE QUESTION VERY
NATURALLY ARISES:
WHICH SOCIETY NEXT?"
Man:
"AUGUST 1897.
"THE APPLE CROP
AT HARVARD FAILED.
"WE HAVE LEASED
OUR RURAL HOME TO DR. WATKINS
"FOR A SANITARIUM
AND HE IS NOW PUTTING IN
THE NECESSARY APPLIANCES."
Narrator:
THE 20th-CENTURY SHAKERS
GREW FLOWERS, HUNG PICTURES
READ NEWSPAPERS AND BOOKS
ON TRAVEL, HISTORY AND SCIENCE.
ORGANS AND EVEN SAXOPHONES WERE
INTRODUCED INTO THEIR MUSIC.
DOOR SHEDS BECAME PORCHES.
ROOF LINES SPROUTED
VICTORIAN CARVINGS
AND LINOLEUM AND
ORIENTAL CARPETS
COVERED POLISHED FLOORS.
Man:
"SAINTS ARE AS DESERVING
OF THE GOOD THINGS OF
THIS WORLD AS SINNERS."
ELDER FREDERIC EVANS.
Woman:
"1908.
THE SOCIETY AT SHIRLEY,
MASSACHUSETTS-- CLOSED."
Woman:
"1910.
"WATERVLIET, OHIO
AND PLEASANT HILL, KENTUCKY--
CLOSED."
Man:
"1912, UNION VILLAGE, OHIO--
CLOSED."
Woman:
"1917, ENFIELD, CONNECTICUT--
CLOSED."
Man:
"1918, HARVARD, MASSACHUSETTS--
CLOSED."
Woman:
"1922, SOUTH UNION, KENTUCKY--
CLOSED."
Man:
"1923, ENFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE--
CLOSED."
( no audio )
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
THE 19 SOCIETIES ALL LIVING
AND I WOULD GO AROUND
VISITING THEM.
YOU GO IN ONE SOCIETY
AND IF YOU GO TO ANOTHER,
YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME.
THE MANNERISMS ARE THE SAME
AND THE LOVE IS THE SAME.
Eldress Lindsay:
MOTHER ANN PROPHESIED
THAT THEY WOULD GET DOWN
TO AS MANY AS A CHILD
COULD COUNT ON ONE HAND
AND THERE WOULD BE A REVIVAL.
SO, IT STARTED IN 1774 WITH
NONBELIEVERS IN THE BEGINNING
SO IT COULD AGAIN.
Sister Barker:
I DON'T THINK IT WILL EVER DIE.
LIKE EVERYTHING, IT HAS ITS
PERIODS OF STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS
BUT I HAVE NOT THE LEAST DOUBT
THE SHAKERS WILL EVER DIE.
THIS IS GOD'S WORK.
WHAT COULD BRING IT TO AN END?
NOTHING THAT A HUMAN BEING,
THAT MORTALS DO.
Man:
AND IT HAS A NICE TAPE SEAT
AND A BEAUTIFUL COLOR.
HOW MUCH
FOR IT, PLEASE?
START ME OFF AT 500.
$500 TO START IT,
I'VE GOT 500, 750.
500, 600, SOMEONE.
600, WHERE?
600, 700?
700, EIGHT?
EIGHT I HAVE,
TO NINE?
NINE, AND TEN.
TEN AND 11, I'VE GOT
$1,000 EVEN, TO 11.
1,000 ONCE,
1,000 TWICE
AND THIRD
AND FINAL CALL.
IT'S OVER HERE,
IT'S YOURS.
Helen Upton:
EVERYTHING THEY DID
WAS IMBUED WITH RELIGION
BECAUSE EVERYTHING
MUST BE PERFECTLY DONE
AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GET
SO MANY PIECES DONE PER HOUR
BUT IT ALL HAD
TO BE PERFECTLY DONE.
AND IT DOES EXTEND TO YOU
AS YOU LOOK AT IT
THE SENSE OF SERENITY
AND ALMOST MAKES YOU FEEL
THAT, WELL, YOU COULDN'T
DO WHAT THEY DO
BUT WHATEVER YOU DO SHOULD
BE AS WELL DONE AS POSSIBLE.
EVERYTHING
AUTHENTICALLY CHRISTIAN
IS ROOTED IN THE FACT
THAT I WISH TO BE CONNECTED
TO GOD, AND I SEE THAT I'M NOT
AND THEREFORE,
THIS PRODUCES A KIND OF FIRE
A KIND OF YEARNING
AND THAT IS THE CORE
OF EVERYTHING REAL
THAT WOULD HAPPEN
IN A SPIRITUAL LIFE.
HOW THEY MANAGED TO HOLD
THAT TOGETHER FOR SO LONG
MUST HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH
THE COMMUNAL RELATIONSHIPS;
WITH THE CRAFTS;
IT ALL CAME TOGETHER
AND PRODUCED A TERRIFIC ENERGY
THAT KEPT GOING FOR A LONG TIME.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME
IF I WAS GLAD I MADE
THIS LIFE CHOICE.
I COULDN'T HAVE WANTED
ANYTHING MORE
BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS TRIED
TO DO IT THOROUGHLY.
I MADE UP MY MIND LONG AGO
WHAT I WANTED TO DO
AND I NEVER HAVE
CHANGED MY MIND FROM IT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THINGS
HAVE ALWAYS BEEN EASY.
THEY HAVEN'T.
BUT I DID HAVE
MY MIND MADE CLEAR TO ME
THAT THAT WAS
THE WORK I WANTED TO BE IN
AND NOTHING WOULD
DETER ME FROM IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE
REMEMBERED BY THE WORLD
THAT I REALLY ACCEPTED THE
PRINCIPLES OF THE SHAKER CHURCH
AND LIVED BY THEM.
IT'S ONE THING
TO TALK ABOUT THEM
ONE THING TO READ YOUR BIBLE,
BUT ANOTHER THING TO LIVE IT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE
REMEMBERED AS A TRUE SHAKER.
THE IMPRESSION PEOPLE GIVE TO US
THAT WE KNOW THAT
WE'RE GIVING THEM A FEELING
THAT THEY'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED.
THEY FEEL LOVE AND THE INFLUENCE
WHEN THEY STEP HERE
INTO THIS VILLAGE.
THIS PARTICULAR LADY CAME INTO
THE FRONT HALL AND SHE SAID:
"WHEN I CAME UP THE ROAD
AND SAW THE WHITE BUILDINGS
IT WAS JUST LIKE A BLANKET OF
BLESSING THAT WENT AROUND ME."
VERY PROUD OF MY HERITAGE
AND I'M SO GLAD TO SHARE
WHAT WE'VE HAD AND
WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED
WITH ALL THAT
COME IN OUR PRESENCE.
IT MAKES IT NICE.
DO YOU WANT ANOTHER ONE?
Man:
SURE.
♪ OH, MY SWEET SHAKER HOME ♪
♪ OH, MY SWEET SHAKER HOME ♪
♪ 'TIS MY JOY,
'TIS MY ETERNAL SONG ♪
♪ HERE IN STRAIGHT PATHS
I'M LED ♪
♪ AND WITH PURITY FED ♪
♪ OH, THERE'S NO PLACE
LIKE MY SHAKER HOME. ♪