spoke, then made another short address to the assembly, and told them it was their privilege to go forth to worship God in the dance. They accordingly prepared for that devotion by moving the seats, and the men laying off their coats. They were arranged in six rows the whole length of the house, the men at one end and the women at the other, with a small space between the two companies. A number of both sexes did not join in the dance, either from age, infirmity, indisposition, or for the want of room, as all are at liberty to unite or not, in this peculiar exercise. Facing the ranks with their backs against the opposite sides of the house, stood about sixteen or twenty singers, male and female, who, serving as musicians for the dance, suddenly struck up a tune of a suitable description, when the dancing immediately commenced, and continued through a song of considerable length. After a short pause, another song was struck up, and the dancing again went on, and so continued through six songs. I am informed they commonly dance not more than three or four songs, and sometimes not more than two. The singers, during the time of dancing, kept a continued motion with their hands as if beating the time, and at the end of each dancing song, and also at the close of their hymns, when they did not dance, they all made a peculiar obeisance, apparently to each other, but I am informed that, instead of any compliment, this is merely a reverential manner of closing the service. After the dancing was over, the elder who had spoken twice before, made another short address to the assembly, and nothing could exceed the apparent discrepancy between the plainness and gravity, and the hoary headed sanctity of the venerable elder, who was the master of the ceremonies on this occasion, and the unusual service they had performed. But on the mind of a Shaker, no such impressions are made; he considers dancing as a most suitable, rational, and edifying part of the service of God, in which the most pious emotions of his soul are expanded towards his Maker; and because it is made an occasion of merriment and sin by a thoughtless world, is no stronger reason, in his opinion, why it should be discontinued, than that singing, or the exercise of any other faculty, should be abandoned because it has been abused.

"After the dancing was over, the elder just referred to made a third short address to the worshippers. Then one of their public speakers addressed himself for a few minutes to the spectators, and in a very concise and intelligible manner illustrated the nature of the Gospel, its advantages, promises, &c. Then a third hymn or anthem was sung, and the assembly was dismissed. The whole occupied about one hour and a quarter.

"The dancing was simple in its form, but it was truly and properly a dance; the tunes, the gestures, and all the attending circumstances, of necessity, come under this name; and the Shakers use no circumlocution in describing this part of their worship. It consisted in marching quickly backwards and forwards in ranks, turning round and shuffling to the tune.

"All were uniformly clad, all moved with the utmost regularity and uniformity, and an unvaried repetition of the routine described, consti

tuted this strange and unusual method of Christian devotion. Though the day was cold and raw, yet most of them were in a state of perspiration, and some of them apparently much fatigued.

66

They have but one meeting in their meeting-house on the Sabbath, but meetings are maintained a number of times through the week in each family.

"When the number of spectators is large, as is generally the case in the summer season, and especially during the resort of company to the New Lebanon Springs, one of their public speakers delivers a discourse in the form of a sermon, much like other preachers.

"The family with whom I tarried had a meeting in the evening, in a hall about fifty by eighteen, fitted on purpose for a meeting room. This meeting was conducted much like the one already described; only, instead of the dance, they went forth in the march, as a figure of marching the heavenly road, and walking the streets of the New Jerusalem.'

"The party consisted of between forty and fifty; they moved with a quick step around the hall, from one end to the other, and around a company of six or eight singers in the centre of it, all singing hymns descriptive of their worship, and gently waving their hands in a horizontal position. In this manner five marches were performed, of about six or eight revolutions each, and at the intervals short addresses were made by one of their elders, similar to those already mentioned. The whole lasted about forty minutes. At some of the rounds they all clapped their hands while singing, as if overwhelmed with ecstasy and joy.

"The Shakers, both in public and private, have a Quakerish appearance; but as soon as their worship commences, and their loud and animated singing is struck up, they appear entirely different from that retiring and contemplative community. The Shakers are indeed a musical people, and go beyond almost any other denomination in the proportion of time they devote to this exhilarating exercise."*

DUNKERS.

This sect, some account of which has been given in a preceding page, dress in a manner peculiar to themselves. They wear a coat or tunic, which reaches down to their heels, with a sash or girdle round the waist, and a cap or hood hanging from the shoulders. The men religiously abstain from shaving either their hair or beard. The sexes have separate habitations, and a different set of regulations. In each of the houses appropriated to the men and women, there is a banqueting house, and an apartment for public worship; for the brethren and sisters of the fraternity do not meet together even at their devotions. Their diet consists chiefly of roots and other vegetables; the rulers of their society not allowing them the use of flesh, except mutton, which is eaten on the occasion of a love-feast, at which time the brethren and sisters dine together. In each of their little cells, they have a bench fixed to serve

Benedict's History of all Religions.

the purpose of a bed, and a small block of wood for a pillow. They allow of no intercourse between the brethren and sisters before marriage; and when they do marry, they remove from the settlement, but preserve their connection with the society. Their Church government and discipline are the same with the English Baptists, except that every brother is allowed to speak in the congregation; and their best speaker is usually ordained to be their preacher. They have deacons and deaconesses from among their eldest widows, and exhorters, who are all licensed to use their gifts statedly or occasionally.*

MORAVIANS, OR UNITED BRETHREN.

Among this religious community are to be found economies, or choir houses, where they live together; the single men and single women, widows and widowers, apart, each under the superintendence of elderly persons of their own class. In these houses, every person who is able, and has not an independent support, labors in his occupation, and contributes a stipulated sum for his maintenance. Their children are educated with peculiar care; their subjection to their superiors and elders is singular, and is strikingly manifested in their missions and marriages. In the former, those who have offered themselves for this service, and are approved as candidates, wait their several calls, referring themselves entirely to the discipline of the lot; and, it is said, never hesitate, when that has decided the place of their destination. In marriage, they may only form a connection with those of their own communion, and the brother who transgresses in this respect is immediately dismissed from Church fellowship. Sometimes a sister, by express license from the elder's conference, is permitted to marry a person of approved piety in another communion; yet still to join in the Church ordinances, as before. A brother may make his own choice of a partner in the society; but as all intercourse between the different sexes is carefully avoided, very few opportunities of forming particular attachments are found, and they usually rather refer their choice to the Church than decide for themselves. And as the lot must be cast to sanction their union, each receives his partner, as a divine appointment. Within a few years some of the above peculiarities of the United Brethren, it is believed, have been done away. Their former practice of a community of goods has also been abolished; with the condition that landed property belongs to the Church as formerly, and is rented to individuals. Their public worship is very simple; their singing accompanied by an organ, played in a soft and solemn

manner.

On a Sunday morning they read the liturgy of their own Church, after which a sermon is preached, and an exhortation given to the children. In the afternoon they have private meetings, and public worship in the evening. Previous to the holy communion, which is administered once a month, and on Maunday Thursday, every person intending to communicate converses with one of the elders on the state of his soul. The celebration of communion is preceded by a love feast; and on Maunday * Dictionary of all Religions.

Thursday by a solemn Pedilavium, or washing of each other's feet; after which the kiss of charity is bestowed: all which ceremonies they consider as obligatory, and authorized in all ages of the Church; quoting John xiii. 14. 1 Peter v. 14. Rom. xvi. 16. On Easter Sunday they attend the chapel, (or in some places the burial-ground,) where they read a peculiar liturgy, and call over the names of all their members who died in the preceding year. And every morning, in Easter week, they meet at seven o'clock, to read the Harmonies of the Gospel on the Crucifixion, &c.*

MENNONITES.

In respect to divine worship among this sect, an account of which has already been given, it is conducted much as among the Churches of the reformed, or among the Dissenters in England; only with this peculiarity, that collections are made every Sabbath day (sometimes in the middle of the sermon) in two bags; one for the poor, and the other for the expenses of public worship. They reject infant baptism, and refuse to commune at the Lord's table with any who administer it to children, unless re-sprinkled. In some parts of North Holland, young people are baptized on the day of their marriage. They baptize by pouring or sprinkling thrice, as Menno is said to have done, in the name of the Holy Trinity.

In Pennsylvania, in which large Churches of this denomination exist, they do not baptize by immersion, although they administer the ordinance to none but adult persons. The usual practice is this: the person to be baptized kneels before the minister, upon which the latter holds his hands over him, into which the deacon pours water, and through which it runs on to the head of the baptized, after which follows a prayer accompanied by the imposition of hands. There is said to be a branch of this sect, consisting of about a thousand souls, in Alsace, who, in their peculiarities, strongly resemble the Quakers. About their dress they use no buckles nor buttons. The men never shave themselves. Maidens wear their hair loose, while married women gather it up, and bend it round the head. With regard to baptism, they hold a middle course, administering the rite to youth, at the age of eleven or twelve, and then by sprinkling; the person thus admitted into the Church laying his hands on his breast, and answering for himself, which they consider essential to the sacrament.t

SANDEMANIANS.

A sect that originated in Scotland about the year 1728; and was origi nally called Glassites, after its founder, Mr. John Glass. The latter, however, who was a minister of the established Church in Scotland, being expelled on account of a supposed design to subvert the national covenant, and destroy the foundation of all national establishments, his followers formed themselves into Churches, conformable, in their institution and discipline, to what they apprehended to be the plan of the first

* Dictionary of all Religions.

+ Dictionary of all Religions.

Churches mentioned in the New Testament. Some years after, Mr. Sandeman imbibing the same opinions, and being a more conspicuous character, the followers of Glass became known by the name of Sandemanians. The practices in which this denomination differ from the generality of other Christians are their weekly administration of the Lord's supper; their love feasts, of which every member is not only allowed, but required to partake; and which consist of their dining together at each other's houses, in the interval between the morning and the afternoon service; their kiss of charity, on the admission of a new member, and other occasions, (Rom. xvi. 16.) their weekly collections before the Lord's supper, for the support of the poor, and other necessary expenses; mutual exhortation; abstinence from blood, and from things strangled; and the washing of each other's feet. Every one (it is said) considers all that he has in his possession and power, liable to the calls of the poor and the Church. They also hold it to be unlawful to lay up treasures upon earth, by setting them apart for any distant, future, and uncertain use. They allow of public and private diversions, so far as they are not connected with circumstances really sinful. Mr. S. pleads, towards the close of his "Letters on Theron and Aspasio," pretty much in favor of theatrical amusements; and it is said, that an attendance on them is very common among his followers: but apprehending a lot to be sacred, they disapprove (merely on this account) of lotteries, playing at cards, dice, and all games of chance.

They have a plurality of elders, pastors, or bishops, in each Church. In the choice of them, the want of learning, or engagement in trade, is no sufficient objection, if qualified according to the instructions given by Paul to Timothy and Titus: but second marriages disqualify for the office.

In discipline they are strict and severe, thinking themselves obliged to separate from the communion and worship of all such religious societies as appear to them not to profess the simple truth for their only ground of hope, and who do not walk in obedience to it. Moreover, as in their Church proceedings they are not governed by majorities, but esteem unanimity to be absolutely necessary, whenever a member differs from the rest, he must give up the point or be excluded. In their families, it is said, there is but little social worship; for conceiving it unlawful to join in prayer with one who is not a brother or sister, and finding no express precept or precedent in the Scriptures for family prayer, that, which by other Christians is held sacred as a part of moral obligation, is by them very commonly disregarded.*

JUMPERS.

Persons so called from the practice of jumping during the time allotted for religious worship. This singular practice began, it is said, in the western part of Wales, about the year 1760. It was soon after defended by Mr. William Williams, (the Welch poet, as he is sometimes called,) in a pamphlet, which was patronized by the abettors of jumping, in religious assemblies. Several of the now zealous itinerant

* Dictionary of all Religions.