,industries and ,inventions of ,the ,shakers ,,shaker ,,music ,a ,brief ,history ,sister ,bertha ,lindsay ,sister ,lillian ,phelps ,canterbury ,shakers ,canterbury1 ,new ,hampshire ,the subject for the evening is one of great interest1 as dating back #ahf years1 we find the ,shakers to be an exceedingly ingenious people1 devoted pioneers of this adventure4 ,it is rather difficult for one who has been a member of this church1 to speak of the achievements of this especial group without seeming boastful1 yet1 we1 the inheritors can justly be proud of the useful contributions made in early days4 ,it therefore is our duty to inform those interested while we are able4 ,while different societies originated and manufactured some particular item1 these were shared with all others as1 while we were like one big family1 each society was a complete unit within themselves1 self-sustaining1 supplying the necessities for their own needs4 ,an interchange of goods from one village to another was possible because of frequent visits of the leaders4 ,i will now try to detail for you some of the early industries and inventions4 ,perhaps the most colorful of the early industries was the herb and root industry4 ,this was a natural outgrowth of the ,shakers' interest in gardening and agriculture4 ,eldress ,anna ,white states in her writings that1 8the ,shakers were the first in this country to introduce botanical medical practice1 the first roots1 herbs and vegetable extracts for medicinal purposes placed on the market having borne the ,shaker stamp04 ,thomas ,corbett of ,canterbury originated the famous ,syrup of ,sarsaparilla also1 the ,wild ,cherry ,pectoral ,syrup4 ,rose-water was far-famed1 used in cooking as well as medicinally4 ,i would not have time to give a complete list of the many herbs and roots1 grown1 harvested and packaged1 but will quote a few figures to show the tremendous extent of this industry4 ,records show this industry started in #ahjj1 reaching its greatest importance around #ahdh when the sisters cleaned and packaged #i1cbg lbs4 of roots4 ,in #ahga1 #ad1jgi bottles of ,norwood's ,tincture of ,veratum alone was put up4 ,perhaps the extent of this business may be gauged by the fact that in one year more than a million labels were cut4 ,how many of you ever heard of 8,healolene08 ,a hand1 or after-shave lotion made from quinces1 at ,mt4 ,lebanon4 ,the physics gardens at ,mt4 ,lebanon occupied at one time over #ej acres1 where a variety of #ej plants were raised4 ,they collected nearly #bjj varieties of indigenous plants1 bringing from the ,south1 ,west and from ,europe some #cj to #dj other varieties4 ,between #ahfa-fb the extract business flourished1 with over #ajj varieties1 both solid and fluid manufactured4 ,the herb industry continued on a much smaller scale as late as #aijj4 ,witch-,hazel was distilled and sold at ,canterbury up to #aiaj4 ,the herb industry rapidly extended to ,watervliet1 ,harvard1 ,sabbathday ,lake1 ,canterbury1 ,enfield and ,union ,village4 ,it is but a step from the herb industry to the garden seed industry which flourished from the establishment of this business in #agid to the early #ahij's4 ,in its early stages plain paper and cloth bags were used1 later brightly colored posters were distributed1 and the seeds put up in neatly labeled boxes or in gayly tinted little packages4 ,one of the first industries was the making of men's wool hats4 ,another prosperous industry was the tanning of leather4 ,it grew to such dimensions1 the ,shakers were not able to raise enough hides themselves1 so bought from nearby farmers4 ,the manufacture of cloth and leather shoes were for their own use mainly4 ,leather mittens1 bridles1 saddles and harnesses were also made4 ,such industries as making whips and whip-lashes1 dry measures1 brass1 bone1 ivory and pewter buttons1 shoe-buckles1 garden hoes1 and ironware were necessary items for home use4 ,shingle1 brick making and stone-cutting were active industries1 filling orders for the world's market long before they used these items themselves4 ,countless items as apple barrels1 wash and dye tubs1 churns and seed pails were manufactured4 ,wooden dippers in nests of #c4 ,sieves of many types were made of wire1 horses' manes and cows' tails1 woven on special looms4 ,having a natural deposit of red clay at ,mt4 ,lebanon1 pipes were made for sale4 ,a small industry was the manufacture of steel1 brass and silver pens1 with handles of wood and tin1 made to close telescopically4 ,the ,shakers were credited with being the originators of the metal pen4 ,an important industry was the making of oak staves for molasses hogsheads which were exported to the ,west ,indies4 ,bee-keeping was an essential experiment as the immense orchards of fruit trees were thusly benefited4 ,markets as far as ,england were found for their superior apples4 ,sundry items like coonskin fur gloves1 floor mops1 horn combs and the making of men's shirts were occupations in most of the societies4 ,while much of the sisters' time was occupied with domestic tasks1 they found time to assist in picking over the herbs1 making seed bags and other useful articles4 ,wines1 sauces and jellies were made for sale1 cucumber pickles and tomato catsup were flourishing around #ahaa4 ,dairy products such as fine cheeses and butter were sold in quantity4 ,other related industries were the making of sausages1 the raising of strawberries1 currants and gooseberries1 even to barrels of dried elderberries4 ,our gift shops sold quantities of sugared flagroot1 also sugared lemon1 orange and grapefruit peel4 ,tons of dried apples were sold or made into apple sauce4 ,kilns were constructed for the paying industry of drying both corn and apples4 ,the famous ,shaker ,applesauce was cooked in sweet cider1 the proportion being something like #d gallons boiled down to one1 then slowly cooking the dried apples in this4 ,the result1 a rich1 delicious sauce4 ,the famous ,shaker cloak1 named the ,dorothy ,shaker ,cape1 was made from the finest imported ,french broadcloth4 ,the originator of this ,cape was ,eldress ,dorothy ,durgin of ,canterbury4 ,these may still be purchased from tiny white ones for babies through little girls' sizes to ladies' sizes1 although the fine material of earlier days cannot be found1 they still are a charming acquisition to milady's ward-robe4 ,here in ,canterbury we had an orchard of over #a1jjj maples1 situated about a mile northeast of the village4 ,maple products such as syrup1 maple sugar cakes1 pulled candy and clay sugar formed a thriving industry for many years4 ,a variety of many types of baskets were made4 ,elder ,daniel ,boler and ,daniel ,crossman of ,mt4 ,lebanon invented machinery for splint making and basket working4 ,this craft was learned in early years from traveling groups of ,indians4 ,between #ahji to #ahga an unending variety of several patterns were made4 ,immense baskets for herbs1 knitting1 egg and fruit baskets or utility baskets1 difficult to classify were woven4 ,the popular baskets or boxes were among the most unique made in several of the societies from the middle #ahjj's to the present4 ,the poplar tree is native to our woods1 they were cut when frozen into #bd in4 lengths1 put through a ,shaker invented plane1 taking off thin strips of poplar1 then shredded into fine strips1 first by hand1 later ,brother ,irving ,greenwood devised an electric powered machine to shred the poplar4 ,it was woven on hand looms4 ,a paper pasted on the reverse side made it firmer and less susceptible to breakage4 ,lined with various colored satins1 they presented neat utility or sewing boxes4 ,no product of the ,shaker wood-working shops possesses greater charm than the multi-sized oval boxes1 made in nests of from #e to #ab4 ,the boxes were joined with a method called fingers1 a novel refinement over the old style of joining4 ,brother ,delmar ,wilson still active at our ,maine society made oval carriers by the thousand4 ,these lined with satin fitted with emery1 cushion and wax made attractive sewing boxes4 ,women who joined the societies were often experienced in the varied domestic arts practiced in colonial homes1 so it was natural they continue to spin yarn1 weave and dye cloth1 dip candles and engage in the countless occupations of that period4 ,looms were used and constructed at the very outset4 ,carding1 spinning and the weaving of woolen1 cotton and cotton-wool cloth done exclusively by the sisters1 who also hatcheled the flax for linen cloth4 ,the first bird's-eye linen was a ,shaker product4 ,until #ahji when a machine was invented1 the cloth was cut with shears made by ,shaker blacksmiths4 ,the looms were in constant use until #ahec when the comparative cheapness of mill cloth made it seem uneconomical for the ,shakers to rely on their own produce4 ,however1 weaving of handkerchiefs1 toweling1 carpets and spreads continued up to #ahfe4 ,in ,kentucky the ,shakers grew mulberry trees so as to raise silk worms for the weaving of silk4 ,some of the first iridescent silk was woven in ,kentucky1 also the ,sabbathday ,lake ,shakers made some of the first wrinkle-proof material4 ,this was obtained by placing the cloth between layers of chemically treated paper1 pressed in a ,shaker invented screw-press1 using heat underneath1 producing a shiny surface on one side1 a dull water silk on the reverse4 ,the ,shaker brothers were expert agriculturists and mechanics1 making woodenware such as pails1 tubs1 measures1 boxes1 spinning wheels1 rakes and all the furniture to supply the houses with the necessities of living4 ,chairs were made in all societies for their own use2 however1 at ,mt4 ,lebanon chairs of all sizes were made for sale1 up to the close of that society4 ,a particularly interesting chair1 called a tilting chair1 was made by the addition of a novel invention called a boot1 which fitted on the bottom of the back legs like a ball and socket joint4 ,the chair revolves on the boot while the boot remains stationary--secured with a piece of rawhide1 it enabled one to tilt back without tipping over or leaving mars on the floors4 ,saxon and ,merino sheep were raised to obtain the finest wool for weaving4 ,thoroughbred horses and cattle were raised for sale4 ,some of the first thoroughbred ,guernseys were purchased by the ,canterbury ,shakers from the ,english ,isle of ,guernsey4 ,the brothers looked upon the soil as something to be redeemed from rugged barrenness into smiling fertility and beauty4 ,so their vast acreage yielded abundantly as proof of their devotion4 ,from early records of farming1 we learn that wheat1 oats1 rye1 barley1 corn1 flax and potatoes were the first crops cultivated4 ,fruit trees were planted at an early date4 ,shakers were taught that agriculture was a part of their religion4 ,a ,gardener's ,manual was published in #ahdc4 ,in this one writer expressed the ,shakers' belief that 8if you would have a lovely garden1 you should live a lovely life04 ,among the inventions was a ,screw-,propeller1 a rotary or disk harrow1 automatic spring1 the sash balance and threshing machine4 ,the ,shakers were among the first to use water power to run their various mills1 this led to the invention of a governor of the overshot water wheel1 also a ,turbine water wheel4 ,many inventions influence our homes today such as the machinery for making the tongue and groove boards and the first flat broom invented by ,theodore ,bates of ,watervliet4 ,broom corn was raised and brushes manufactured as early as #agih4 ,table swifts for winding yarn was a helpful contribution of the ,hancock ,shakers4 ,other inventions included a machine for filling seed bags1 and one for filling herb packages1 the apple paring machine1 the common clothes pin1 the self-acting cheese press4 ,did you know the first one-horse wagon used in this country was a ,shaker product of ,enfield1 ,conn48 ,the ,shakers not believing in patents or monopolies of any type were1 however1 forced because of lawsuits from unscrupulous money grabbers1 to patent a few items such as the ,revolving oven1 which may still be seen in the ,canterbury ,bakery1 and the far-famed ,wash ,mill1 which won a gold medal at the ,philadelphia exposition in #ahgf4 ,the list of inventions and devices of ,shaker ingenuity if extended into detail would seem almost endless4 ,briefly1 ,i would like to tell you of some important inventions showing their relation to our lives today4 ,brother ,thomas ,corbett of ,canterbury built a static electric machine in #ahaj4 ,it consisted of a glass cylinder1 revolving against a chamois pad producing frictional electricity4 ,this charge was drawn off into a ,leyden jar4 ,it was the first therapeutic electric machine4 ,it is hard to imagine a shop today without a circular saw4 ,sister ,sarah ,babbitt of ,harvard while watching some of the brothers saw1 remarked on the amount of lost motion1 the idea of a circular saw came to her4 ,she experimented with a notched disk of tin1 slipped it on to her spinning wheel1 and finding it adequate to saw a shingle1 reported her findings4 ,the first one piece circular saw may now be seen in the ,new ,york ,state collection of ,shaker ,items1 ,albany1 ,n4 ,y4 ,the ,shakers prowess in research was well recognized by a gentleman who while visiting his children at ,mt4 ,lebanon1 heard of a ,vacuum ,pan being used by the ,shakers in their medicinal herb industry4 ,the ,vacuum ,pan was utilized by the ,shakers because when medicine is boiled in a vacuum it boils at lower degree of temperature4 ,hence1 many of the good qualities are not driven off in steam4 ,he asked permission of the ,shakers to experiment with the vacuum pan in an attempt to preserve milk4 ,he made a success and a fortune when he invented evaporated milk4 ,his name was ,gail ,borden4 ,if you should ever go to the ,smithsonian ,institute in ,washington1 you will see the ,vacuum ,pan4 ,the ,shaker ,museum at ,old ,chatham1 ,n4 ,y4 has on display ,gail ,borden's ,work ,bench4 ,at its very peak1 the ,shaker movement numbered only about #f1jjj members1 at our beautiful village at ,canterbury around #djj members which by some worldly standards of measurement would be only a drop in a gigantic ocean of humanity1 but we feel that numbers do not count if the motivating principles are right and if each individual gives all that he has1 and dedicates his 8,hands to work1 and his ,heart to ,god01 and if he strives to be his brothers' keeper4 ,and so1 we humbly point to the cemetery of our early ,shaker founders who lived not for fame but who were dedicated to the beliefs that when a person loves his ,god and also his fellow man1 the personality of the individual is lost in the ,spirit of ,christ4 ,and so even if much of ,shakerism remains unknown and the physical symbols to some seem to disappear completely1 we know that darkness and night may fall1 but there is always a tomorrow when the sun will rise again4 ,for we feel thru the revelation of ,mother ,ann and the teachings of ,christ1 we have followed a path that is clearly defined leading us to an inner ,godliness and a perfect union--a love of ,god--and a universal love for all mankind4 ,some have asked--why did the ,shakers invent so much--why did such beauty abound in their work--,i can only say--,the beauty of the world about us is only according to what we ourselves bring to it4 ,for example3 to some1 ,autumn is a prelude to winter with its cold and loneliness4 ,to others1 ,autumn represents the magnificence of ,god's ,great ,creation1 but for we who follow the path of ,godliness1 the world takes on a new and more beautiful dimension1 and everywhere we find that inner love that brings to our lives the great radiance of ,god's great love4 ,with you and only you1 lies the choice of selection4 ,to me--,i like the words of the poet1 who looking on the beauty of ,autumn1 said1 8,dear ,lord1 when with this life ,i'm thru and ,i make my abode with you1 ,just one thing ,i would ask of ,thee4 ,will ,heaven have ,autumn1 and crimson trees80 ,,shaker ,,music ,the study of music was a basic feature of education among the ,shakers4 ,in the early days1 songs were learned orally1 and communicated from one ,society to another1 by word of mouth4 ,the first person to urge the study of music was ,brother ,abram ,whitney1 a teacher of music1 and a member of the ,shaker ,society at ,shirley1 ,mass4 ,upon solicitation1 ,brother ,abram visited ,canterbury and ,enfield1 ,n4 ,h41 and gave lessons in the rudiments of elementary music4 ,about #ahba he1 with the help of other inventive minds1 developed a form of musical notation1 called ,shaker ,script or ,letteral ,system1 so named1 because of the use of letters1 instead of the conventional round notes4 ,in this method1 the first seven letters of the alphabet1 were used4 ,capital letters were whole notes1 small letters designated quarter notes1 while ,italics were used for eighth notes1 and half-notes had a line added to the side of the letter4 ,in #ahdc1 a ,shaker brother from ,mt4 ,lebanon1 ,n4 ,y41 by the name of ,isaac ,n4 ,youngs1 changed this method1 and used only the small letters of the alphabet1 and altered the system of designating the tempo4 ,he published a pamphlet1 entitled 8,a ,short ,abridgement of the ,rules of ,music04 ,later1 ,russel ,haskell of ,enfield1 ,conn4 wrote 8,a ,musical ,expositor01 or a treatise on the rules and elements of music1 about the year #ahdg4 ,in #aheb our beloved ,elder ,henry ,blinn1 of ,canterbury1 had a set of letteral music type made1 from which he printed a book1 entitled 8,hymns and ,anthems04 ,when the ,manifesto1 7a magazine which was published at our ,canterbury ,society1 and which had a fairly wide circulation throughout the country7 was printed ,elder ,henry ,blinn1 the editor1 realizing that many people of the world1 as well as ,shakers1 were reading this publication1 thought it best to use a note-system more universal than the old ,shaker ,script system1 as each number contained a ,shaker ,hymn4 ,so he advised the return of standard notes1 commonly used by the world4 ,thus in #ahga the round note-system came back into ,shaker use4 ,and so1 about that time1 the 8,repository of ,music0 was printed1 right here at ,shaker ,village1 containing the elementary and advanced lessons from the works of able teachers1 and showing the more universal note-system used by the outside world4 ,some years later the ,shakers of ,canterbury hired ,professor ,davis of ,concord1 ,n4 ,h41 to give a course of lessons in music1 adding further to the knowledge that had already been gleaned from ,brother ,abram ,whitney4 ,progress was rapid1 as brethren and sisters1 desiring to add greater dimensions to their religious expression1 diligently labored to learn all that was offered4 ,soon the answer to a continuous desire to learn1 came with the introduction to the ,society1 of a ,dr4 ,charles ,guilmette1 of ,boston4 ,doctor ,guilmette was a superior teacher of vocal music1 both in theory and in practice4 ,he proved to be1 not only an accomplished vocalist1 but an elocutionist and physician as well4 ,continuous lessons in correct breathing and tone-production1 awakened in all1 an even deeper interest in singing4 ,formation of classes in singing soon followed1 composed of groups of children as well as adults4 ,soon we had numerous well-executed trios1 quartets1 and double-quartets or sextets4 ,family singing-meetings were held twice a week1 at which each group presented selections for the enjoyment of the family4 ,vocal training became a 8must0 with the ,shakers1 and a high standard of quality music was soon attained4 ,elder ,arthur ,bruce of ,canterbury1 a gifted musician1 before entering the ,society1 and a brilliant baritone1 in his own right1 formed and directed a ,shaker ,ladies ,quartet1 called the 8,qui ,vive ,quartet04 ,under his direction1 and with the added assistance of visiting musicians1 the quartet acquired a perfection which brought many requests for their concert performance1 from various parts of the country4 ,the quartet sang entirely without accompaniment1 and could sing1 at a moment's notice1 over #ajj selections from memory4 ,nearly all of these songs were arranged by the members4 ,as an illustration of the cooperative spirit of the ,shakers1 the instruction received by this quartet1 was freely shared with the younger singers1 resulting in a family chorus of unusual quality4 ,first attempts in singing in harmony1 by the family1 were ventured in the #ahjj's1 but only melodies were used in ,church ,service4 ,these melodies contained lessons in practical ,christian living1 and were often more impressive than the spoken word4 ,one of these was a gentle reminder in song1 of the importance of loving1 daily association4 ,may ,i softly walk1 and wisely speak1 ,lest ,i harm the strong1 or wound the weak4 ,for all these wounds ,i yet must feel1 ,and bathe in love until they heal4 ,why should ,i carelessly offend1 ,since many joys of life depend ,on gentle words and peaceful ways1 ,which spreads such brightness o'er our days4 ,much of the music used in our ,church ,service1 we believe to have been inspirationally received by members so gifted4 ,eldress ,dorothy ,durgin1 who was especially adept in this gift1 kept a slate by her bed1 upon which she wrote the spiritual messages which came to her in the night or early morning hours4 ,she would then pass the words to the one for whom she thought the message was intended1 saying 8,i thought of you when these words came to me04 ,some of these messages were accompanied by melody1 others were set to music at a later date4 ,and even today many of these songs remain the most loved ones in our ,canterbury ,hymnal4 ,one of these1 an especial favorite1 reads as follows3 ,angels call me1 call me higher ,to a realm of purer thought2 ,call me to the fountain nigher1 ,where the gems of ,truth are wrought4 ,call me here to love and worship1 ,here to serve and learn ,god's way4 ,rise1 my soul1 renewed1 responsive1 ,meet the ,christ that calls today4 ,ever calling are the angels1 ,calling to the heights ,divine2 ,calling where the gifts immortal ,seek my spirit to refine4 ,all of life it is to serve them1 ,all of joy to feel their power4 ,rise1 my soul1 thy friendship deepen ,with the ,christ that calls each hour4 ,these inspirational hymns were not confined to any one individual as in every ,society there were many members so gifted4 ,the ,christ ,spirit could easily find expression1 where hearts were dedicated to ,his ,service4 ,eldress ,dorothy ,durgin1 who was born in ,sanbornton1 ,n4 ,h41 entered the ,society at the age of #h yrs41 after the death of her mother4 ,a lover of children1 she was given the care of #bd little girls1 while still a young woman4 ,because of her interest in the youth1 she was appointed teacher of the ,district ,school1 where she taught for six years4 ,her qualities of leadership were tremendous1 so it was only natural that she be appointed to the order of ,eldership1 at the age of #bd yrs41 which position she held for #ej yrs4 ,she was1 probably1 without parallel1 as a writer of hymns1 and1 during her lifetime produced over #cj inspired songs4 ,few persons realize the tremendous effort involved in tracing the authors of our ,shaker ,hymns4 ,we have always considered that those who received them1 were only the channel through which these inspirational messages flowed4 ,in other words1 we believe that when an individual is thoroughly consecrated1 the personality is lost in the spirit of ,christ4 ,if it wasn't that we have remembered the circumstances connected with these hymns1 their authorship would have been purposely submerged4 ,for our ,hymn ,books bear only the name of the ,society1 where the hymn was composed1 never its author4 ,but recently1 and only after the author had passed away1 did we consent to give out these biographical facts1 for we believe that a talent to create a work of art1 to invent or compose1 is ,god-given4 ,it is a gift1 and we are but the tools chosen to be used in ,his service4 ,we have1 it is true1 the power to increase these talents1 by study and by application2 but we are to take no credit for these gifts1 for we are merely ,his instruments1 and they are loaned to us1 to be used for the blessing of others4 ,one of our lovely old hymns ably expresses this sentiment in the words1 8,lost in the tide of doing good1 ,thy ,master's humble name4 ,so thy discipleship record1 ,beyond all earthly fame40 ,music used in ,church ,service was without instrumental accompaniment1 as the mixed voices of the members1 formed an adequate chorus4 ,however1 as diminished numbers left the singers without the assistance of male voices1 an organ was introduced for vocal support4 ,many persons are curious as to the reason for using dancing or marching1 in our earlier religious services4 ,it is amazing how much sound reason is behind the thinking of the early ,shaker leaders1 and how much psychology was employed4 ,it was the belief of the ,shakers that every faculty should be used in the worship of ,god1 and so1 various forms of physical exercise were introduced1 particularly the ,march4 ,a group of eight or ten singers1 occupied the center of the room1 around which the members marched in perfect formation4 ,it was with a graceful1 rhythmic motion of the hands as the members marched to the slow or quick tempo of the music4 ,dancing1 or the ,march1 was not such a strange occurrence during a religious service of the early days of the ,church4 ,we have mention1 in the ,old ,testament1 of ,david and ,miriam dancing before the ,lord4 ,also there are #ai instances where dancing is mentioned in the ,mosaic ,law4 ,there was also a definite psychological purpose behind the ,shaker marches1 seldom explained1 and rarely understood by the general ,public4 ,the perfect rhythmic body motions1 of a worshipper1 who combined this activity with a deep mental and religious fervor1 developed within himself1 a great spiritual inspiration1 almost impossible to understand or describe1 by one who has never witnessed or participated in this form of worship4 ,but if one could have been present1 as ,i was1 and could have seen the perfect spiritual union1 that was produced1 when a soul combined the physical motions1 the singing voice and the dedicated heart1 in giving praise and thanks to ,god--,i'm sure you would have agreed that the physical motions added a still greater dimension to the expression of ,prayer4 ,however1 as years passed1 and older members were unable to join in these marches1 the exercises were discontinued1 as it was considered necessary to maintain a perfect union among the members1 a service in which all may participate as ,one4 ,today1 our ,church ,service is quiet and more formal1 resembling1 perhaps the ,prayer meetings held in many of the churches of other denominations4 ,the first organ was introduced into the ,society1 by ,elder ,henry ,blinn4 ,it was one of the first built by the ,prescott ,organ ,co41 of ,concord1 ,n4 ,h41 and can be seen today1 still in working condition1 in our little ,museum1 right here at the ,canterbury ,village4 ,when purchased1 it was placed in the ,school ,house1 where the members gathered for instruction in the reading of notes4 ,the introduction of instrumental music was quite an innovation among the ,shakers4 ,eldress ,dorothy ,durgin felt that music added refinement to a young person1 so she made a trip to a ,music ,company in ,boston1 to negotiate the purchase of a second organ for instrumental practices4 ,eldress ,dorothy possessed a gracious1 winning personality1 and so impressed the proprietor of the ,company1 that he presented the ,society at ,canterbury with a fine cabinet organ4 ,the first piano was introduced in #ahgb4 ,later1 pianos owned and brought in by those who joined the ,society1 provided added facilities for instrumental practice4 ,in order to encourage this musical movement1 ,eldress ,dorothy held monthly recitals1 at which each pupil was represented1 everyone1 from the beginner1 who could do but simple finger exercises1 to the more advanced student1 who could1 perhaps1 master the difficult music of the classics4 ,every child who desired1 was given the opportunity for musical instruction whether so gifted or not4 ,soon other instruments found their way into the ,society1 and an orchestra was formed composed of #b violins1 cornet1 bass-viol and piano4 ,some years later another orchestra was organized comprising #b violins1 a cornet1 cello1 #b saxophones1 drum and cymbals and pipe-organ and piano4 ,this orchestra was under the direction of ,professor ,nevers of ,concord1 ,n4 ,h41 who also directed the well-known ,nevers ,band of ,concord4 ,the ,society at ,sabbathday ,lake1 also formed a small1 but fine1 orchestra4 ,indeed every ,society made the study of music a part of their educational life4 ,on special days such as ,easter and ,christmas1 the members arranged concerts1 at which time they presented selections from ,standard ,cantatas1 such as ,gaul's ,holy ,city1 ,handel's ,messiah1 ,haydn's ,creation1 ,mendelssohn's ,elijah1 etc41 plus many choruses of our original composition4 ,on ,christmas morning the young people greeted the family1 as they assembled for breakfast1 with a beautiful ,christmas ,carol4 ,one especially impressive and original arrangement1 was called 8,the ,celestial ,choir04 ,as the family assembled for breakfast a small group of singers1 started singing on the attic stairs1 and1 as they descended1 others joined them on each loft1 resulting in a full chorus of voices1 as they approached the lower hall1 after which they joined the family in a well-prepared ,christmas breakfast4 ,god's gift of ,music has always played a most important part in the life of the ,maine ,societies4 ,the library of the family at ,sabbathday ,lake reflects the breadth and richness of ,shaker musical tradition4 ,not only does the collection contain the earliest known ,shaker musical manuscript dated #ahjb1 but it serves as a guide to the musical history not only in ,maine1 but of all the other ,societies4 ,in some manuscripts1 hauntingly beautiful melodies1 in a minor key1 written over #age years ago1 before the gathering of the ,societies in ,gospel order1 mingle with the impassioned and moving hymns1 given under inspiration1 by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,in discussing ,maine ,shaker music we cannot pass over the name of ,otis ,sawyer who for nearly fifty years served the ,cause of ,christ2 first as ,elder of the family at ,poland ,hill1 later as ,elder of the ,church ,family at ,sabbathday ,lake and finally as ,spiritual ,head of the ,maine ,ministry4 ,elder ,otis is responsible not only for the words and music of countless lovely hymns1 but also the untiring compiler of things musical in ,maine4 ,due to his efforts we have preserved over #ejj inspired hymns from ,alfred1 ,gorham1 ,sabbathday ,lake and ,poland ,hill4 ,one of the most talented musicians ever to have lived the ,shaker life in ,maine1 was ,elder ,oliver ,holmes4 ,altho' he died in #ahda fond memories of his great gift of song1 and of his musical inventiveness still remain4 ,it is of interest to note that 8,the ,gift to be ,simple01 the ,shaker song1 perhaps best known to the world1 chiefly through ,aaron ,copland's having used it in his 8,appalachian ,spring01 is from ,maine1 having been composed by the ,ministry of ,alfred4 ,we must mention1 too1 the names of two sisters1 important for their contributions to the world of ,shaker ,music4 ,to ,aurelia ,gay ,mace1 the versatile ,chronicler of ,maine ,shaker history1 we owe1 not only the preservation of several remarkable manuscript collections1 but also a wealth of highly personal and original comment both on the songs1 popular among ,believers1 and the manner in which they were sung4 ,to ,sister ,aurelia we are also indebted1 for much of our knowledge of the ,march in ,worship1 and the interaction of song and ,march4 ,eldress ,mary ,ann ,gillespie was the composer of many beautiful hymns during the period immediately following the ,civil ,war4 ,one of the best loved of her hymns is entitled1 8,watching and ,praying04 ,the words follow3 ,watching and praying1 ,i find you1 ,o my beloved1 my own4 ,trusting a ,father's rich promise ,i will not leave you alone1 ,i will not leave you alone4 ,though thro' the desert ,i lead ,or apart in the mountain ye pray1 ,for strength in the hour of need1 ,i never will answer you1 8,nay01 ,i never will answer you1 8,nay04 ,the musical education of the ,shakers has certainly come a long way1 since the days of ,brother ,abram ,whitney's letteral notation and the simple melodies of our early founders4 ,today1 many of our hymns and anthems are much more elaborate as you will note in a later ,shaker ,anthem1 entitled 8,rejoice04 ,although1 perhaps1 rather empty without the addition of a full chorus1 you will get some idea of the quality of the composition1 as ,i play it on the organ4 ,the present day ,shaker ,hymnal contains many beautiful hymns and anthems4 ,some were arranged and harmonized by members1 using various ,scripture texts1 while others were the musical expression of those simple1 sincere soul-breathings from the dedicated hearts who were imbued with the spirit of the first ,christian founders4 ,one of these hymns ably voices the universal faith of the ,shakers1 whose hearts deeply feel for those1 their brothers1 who suffer and are in need of love and assistance4 ,the following hymn1 entitled 8,universal ,prayer01 is one of many1 which are sung in our ,church ,service1 in loving thought of others4 ,the ,spirit is calling1 earnestly calling ,o ,zion1 unfold in deep prayer4 ,o pray for the fathers1 the sisters and brothers1 ,o pray for the household2 ,o pray for the mothers1 remember all others1 ,o pray for the whole1 whole world4 ,o ,spirit1 most holy1 earnestly calling1 ,so tenderly pleading for all1 ,in prayerful devotion we bow at ,thy bidding ,to ask ,thy rich mercies may fall1 ',till household and nation shall see ,thy salvation1 ,thy power reach the whole1 whole world4 ,transcriber's ,notes --,silently corrected a few typos4 --,retained publication information from the printed edition3 this e,book is public-domain in the country of publication4 --,in the text versions only1 text in italics is delimited by underscores4