terminate the society, or to suppress their testimony, more deliberate and more extensive measures were adopted. Legal prosecutions were instituted upon the most frivolous pretences; petitions were drawn up, subscribed and laid before the legislature; and finally, to insure success to their measures, subcription papers, accompanied by malicious reports, and enforced by inflammatory speeches, were industriously circulated through the country, with a view to raise forces sufficient to expel the believers from the country, and thereby effectually to suppress the hated religion and its galling testimony. The minds of the inhabitants being thus instigated and prepared, it required no legal authority to raise forces sufficient, in their opinion, to accomplish their object.

Accordingly, on the 27th of August, 1810, a body of five hundred armed men, led on by officers in military array, appeared before the principal dwelling of the Society in Union Village. This formidable force was preceded and followed by a large concourse of spectators, of all descriptions of people, estimated at nearly 2000 in number,* whose object was to witness the mighty conflict, expected to take place, between a body of 500 armed men, and a few harmless and defenceless Shakers. Among this great concourse were many who were friendly to the Society, and whose only wish was to prevent mischief and preserve peace; but the far greatest majority were either entire strangers or decided enemies, who came to support the military in case of necessity. Many of these were armed in mob array, some with guns and swords, some with bayonets fixed on poles or sticks of various lengths, and others with staves, hatchets, knives and clubs. These formed a motly multitude of every description, from ragged boys to hoary headed men, exhibiting altogether a hideous and grotesque appearance.

But notwithstanding all these threatening and warlike appearances, no confusion appeared among the believers through the day; but they remained calm, peaceable and undismayed, and attended to their usual occupations with as much regularity as the confused circumstances of the day would permit.

This motly multitude having collected, and the troops having taken their station near the meeting-house, a deputation of 12 men came forward, headed by a presbyterian preacher; and after making a number of unreasonable and inconsistent demands, (demands with which the leaders of the Society had neither power nor authority to comply,) they proceeded to state, as the principal requisition of this extraordinary concourse of armed men, that the Society should relinquish their principles and practice, their public testimony, mode of worship and manner of living, or quit the coun

*Some supposed the number to exceed 2000, exclusive of the military force.

† Matthew G. Wallace, who acted as chief speaker, and appeared to be the organ of this mighty army.

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try. These extraordinary demands were accompanied with threats of violence in case of refusal.

The answer of the Society was calm and mild, but plain and positive: That they esteemed their faith in the gospel dearer than their lives, and were therefore determined to maintain it, whatever they might suffer as the consequence; and as to quitting the country, they were upon their own possessions, which they had purchased with their own money, and for which they were indebted to no man; that they held no man's property, and therefore had a just right to the peaceable enjoyment of their own possessions, in a free country, and were entitled to those liberties granted by the laws of their country, including the liberty of conscience.

It cannot reasonably be supposed that such an extraordinary assemblage of men, in hostile array, could have been mustered on such an occasion, had they all been personally acquainted with the believers. But many of them, having probably never seen a Shaker, had been influenced by false reports, inflammatory speeches and publications of evil minded men; some of the most malicious and influential of whom were professed preachers of the gospel; and the more ignorant past being called out by their officers, to crush a growing society of people, whom they verily supposed were more inhuman than the savages of the wilderness, and whose religion they had been taught to believe was far more dangerous than popery or mahometanism, they readily complied with the call. And unfortunately for the honor of civilized society, there are generally many found in it, who are always ready to assist in any riotous proceedings, whenever occasion offers.

But many who came armed, were astonishingly disappointed when they found that they had no occasion for arms, as they found no enemy to combat. The calm, peaceable and harmless deportment of the believers, together with the expostulations of a few respectable individuals who were friendly to the Society; and the freedom shown, and liberty given to examine the youth and children, reported to be held in bondage; the orderly and flourishing appearance of their school; the marks of contentment visible in the countenances of the children, and the decent and orderly appearance of every thing around them, all conspired to change the sentiments and feelings of these vindictive warriors to such a degree, that they all withdrew without committing any abuse, or occasioning any contention, except among themselves.*

The enemies of truth being thus defeated in this bold and formidable enterprize, renewed their exertions to inflame the public mind, and effect the destruction of the Society. But in consequence of an increasing acquaintance of the inhabitants with the people of

We have given only the outlines of these transactions; our limits will not permit us to be more particular.

this Society, by which their lives and manners became more generally known, together with some signal instances of the interposition of Divine Providence in their favor, the malicious efforts of their enemies became, by degrees, less successful. For there are but few, in the present day, who are willing to persecute an honest people for their religion, when once their real sentiments are well known; and, unhappily, those few are generally found among the most bigoted professors of some false religion: for true religion never produced any persecutors. But, unfortunately, there are many inconsiderate mortals to be found in every civilized country, who, having no principle of their own, readily become the dupes of designing bigots, and by them are often urged to acts of violence which would put even savages to shame.

These persecutions in the western states, produced inquiry and personal examination, which generally led to a knowledge of the truth consequently the testimony of truth prevailed, and believers were multiplied. People of all classes, and various denominations, the high and the low, the rich and the poor flocked together, and seemed equally anxious to hear the testimony and become partakers of the way of life and salvation. In various places the preachers and their people, with equal zeal, embraced the testimony and took up their crosses; and among the great numbers who set out to walk in the narrow way, were many respectable characters of different denominations.

The testimony has mostly prevailed in the states of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, where Societies have been established. There are at present, five Societies in these three states. But many from other states have embraced the testimony, moved in, and become members of these Societies. There are two Societies in the state of Ohio; one at Union Village, in the county of Warren, about four miles west from the village of Lebanon, and 30 north by east from Cincinnati. This is the oldest and largest Society in the western states, and contains nearly 600 members. The other is at Watervliet, on Beaver Creek, in the county of Montgomery, about 22 miles north from Union Village, and 6 southeast from Dayton, which contains about 100 members.

There are also two in Kentucky; one at Pleasant Hill, in Mercer county, about 7 miles easterly from Harodsburg, and 21 southwesterly from Lexington, which contains between 4 and 500 members. The other is at South Union, Jasper Springs, in Logan county, about 15 miles northeasterly from Russellville, and contains between 3 and 400 members. The fifth and last is at West Union, Knox county, in the state of Indiana. It is situated on Busseron Creek, near its confluence with the Wabash, about 16 miles above Vincennes, and contains upwards of 200 members. There are also numbers in various parts of the United States, who

have embraced the faith of the Society, but whose circumstances have not, as yet, admitted of their being gathered into a regular body.

The number of believers contained in all the Societies, both in the eastern and western states, exceeds 4000. Two thirds, at least, of this number have been added since the commencement of the present century; and the number is gradually increasing.* Most of the Societies contain a number of large families; and each family is accommodated with one or more large and convenient dwelling-houses, and with shops and out-houses, for the convenience of carrying on the various branches of business pursued by the family. There is also, in each Society, a house for public worship, and an office or offices for the transaction of public busi

ness.

The principal employments of the people are agriculture, horticulture, and the various branches of domestic manufacture; of course the principal articles of consumption among them, are mostly of their own produce and manufacture; and their various mechanical branches furnish a variety of articles for market.

Temperance and chastity, plainness and simplicity, neatness, industry and good economy, are among those virtuous principles which actuate the people of the United Society, in all their temporal concerns, and which tend greatly to promote the health and prosperity of the Society, and insure the blessings of Divine Providence upon all their labors. And it is found by many years experience, that this manner of life is more conducive to the general health of the body, than any other with which we are acquainted; and this experience has also proved, that fewer deaths have occurred in the Society, since its establishment, in proportion to the

* We are far from feeling a disposition to proclaim our numbers to the world; but the inquiries which are continually made by strangers, to ascertain our numbers, and the local situation of the different Societies in our communion, have induced us to give a statement of these particulars. We are, as yet, but a small people, and few in number, compared with the vast multitudes enrolled in the catalogues of other denominations; but when we consider the testimony of Jesus Christ, that, "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto "life, and few there be that find it," we cannot but feel a sense of thankfulness for that mercy of God, which has called us to be numbered with the chosen few; and to us it is a matter of more importance to increase in the principles of peace and righteousness, than to increase in numbers. Yet we feel a firm reliance upon the promises of God, by the mouth of his prophets: "I will multiply them and they "shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be "small.-A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong "nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time." See Isa. Ix. 22, and Jer. xxx. 19.

number of people, than is usual among those who live after the common course of the world.*

CHAPTER V.

Remarks on the Worship of God: the origin, practice and reasonableness of Dancing, as an act of Divine Worship.

THE subject of religious worship has excited the attention of all nations, of all religions, throughout all ages of the world. Perhaps there is no subject on which there has existed a greater diversity of sentiment. Even among those who profess the christian religion, the great variety of opinions would seem to indicate to an impartial observer, that almost every different denomination believed in a different God, and expected to be saved by a different Savior, and to enjoy a different Heaven.

This great diversity of opinion, on a subject of such infinite importance to all, is certainly a most conclusive evidence of the great deficiency of the Spirit of God among christian professors, and of their ignorance of his true character and most acceptable worship. In former days, this diversity of sentiment was the occasion of great contentions and persecutions; but since the principles of civil and religious liberty have had a prevailing influence, and the spirit of persecution has lost its tyrannical power, modern christians profess great charity and forbearance towards each other; but still the same difference of religious sentiment prevails, and there are still many ways of performing religious worship.

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When Jesus Christ was on earth, he prayed for his followers, that they might be one with him, as he was one with the Father. "As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." And again: that they may be one, even as we are one." And the apostle Paul to the Ephesians, testifies that there is, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and "Father of all."‡ If then there is but one God, one Lord, one falth and one baptism; and if Christ is one with the Father, and his people are one with him; how is it that those who profess to be his people, at the present day, are so divided into sects and parties? Surely Christ's true followers cannot be divided; they are one with him, as he is one with the Father.

Again: Jesus Christ testified, saying, "I am the way, and the

*The ancients reckoned a generation to last 30 years, and the moderns have generally agreed that the life of man has not increased. From the commencement of the United Society, in the year 1780, up to 1300, the average ages of those who deceased at New Lebanon and Watervliet, exceeded 50 years. Sinee that period to the present time, the averTho age ages of all that have deceased in these two societies, amouut to about 60 years there was, in the beginning, at least, an ordinary proportion of young children, and the many children have since been gathered into the Society; yet only 5 have deceased un der 10 years, and but 27 under 21 years of age ↑ John xvii. 21, 22. Eph, iv. 5 6.