05b Shakers and Millennial Church 2

Chapter 5 The Shakers and the Millennial Church (part b) through with a red-hot iron and to be branded on the cheek. The mysterious Presence which in a former age, had said to the disciples of Jesus: ’Open thy mouth and I will fill it,’ did not desert this woman of whom it has been said that she could neither read nor write. The power of God fell upon her, the gift of tongues was imparted and she discoursed to these clergymen, speaking, as they testified, in seventy-two different languages, speaking many of them, as they declared, Eetterthan they had ever heard them spoken before. They advised her persecutors to let her alone." 1

We have noted in the statement made by Mary Hocknell 2 that Mother Ann spoke before the learned doctors in twelve different languages. Frequent statements appear in the "Testimonies" to the effect that Mother Ann was often found singing or praying in an unknown tongue. 3

"Timothy Hubbard was one of the first who visited Mother and the Elders at Watervliet. While there, he saw Mother sit in her chair from early in the morning, until afternoon, under great operations and power of God. She sung in unknown tongues the whole of the time: and seemed to be wholly divested of any attraction to material things. All her sensations appeared to be engaged in the spiritual world.

"After she was released from these operations she spoke to the people present and said, ’The way of God will grow straiter and straiter; so strait that if you go one hair’s breadth out of the way, you will be lost. I felt my soul walking with Christ, in groves and vallies, as really as if he had been here on earth. It is good for a man not to touch a woman." 4

1 White and Taylor: op. cit., pp. 25-6.
2 Brown: op. cit., p. 46.
3 Cf. "Testimonies": XXVII: 4 (p. 186), 22 (p. 191); XXXIV:12 (p. 241).
4 "Testimonies": XXIII: 12 (pp. 163-4).

"At another time, in the presence of Timothy Hubbard and others, Mother was overshadowed with the power of God. She stood erect on the floor for the space of an hour; her countenance was angelic and she seemed to notice nothing of time. She sang, chiefly in unknown tongues, though sometimes she uttered expressions in her own language. Among other expressions she made the following: ’Thou wilt keep them in perfect peace, whose minds are stayed on thee!’ When her gift ceased, she spoke and said: *I saw Jesus Christ, and conversed with him, face to face, as a man converseth with his friend.’" 1 This gift of tongues was shared by others in the church, its presence was a mark of special divine favour, and signalled out the one who thus spoke as a spiritual leader. Hannah Cogswell testifies:

"While Elder Hocknell had the care of the people at Watervliet, in the summer of 1781, while Mother Ann was at Harvard, he came into meeting, one evening, under great operations of the power of God, and, with his hand stretched toward the fire, he spake in an unknown tongue, seemingly in great wrath. When his gift ceased, he said, ’I saw the souls of three men, whom I knew while I was in England. They came to hear the word of God, but they had not finished their sufferings, and therefore were returned again to their suffering state/ He also said, ’If you could see the glory of God that shines around you as I do, and the angels that minister the power of God to you, your hair would rise on your heads, and flesh would crawl on your bones.’" 2 Father William also spoke in tongues:

"The next day, Eleazar Grant and Elisha Gilberts, Esq’rs, and Dr. Averill came there and had a long 1 "Testimonies": XXXIIIna (p. 164). ’Same: XXV:i6 (p. 179). conversation with Mother Ann and the Elders. The day following, several Indians came, and Father William Lee was moved by the power of God, to speak to them in their own native language, although he had no knowledge of it, but by the gift of God; but the Indians understood and answered him." 1 The following account appears in Brown’s "History of the Shakers," of an occurrence at Niskayuna in the fall of 1800:

"On the third day after our arrival, there came an elderly man (by name Seth Youngs) from Lebanon, who belonged to the backsliding order, whom I had heard had the gift of speaking in unknown tongues, or in languages he did not understand: in the afternoon he spent some time talking to my sister, respecting the vanities of this life, the necessity and beauty of religion, and the happiness to be derived from it. While he was thus speaking, he broke out, with much earnestness, in an unknown, tongue, and spake about a quarter of an hour; which appeared to me astonishing, as I was satisfied from the appearance of the man, and previous conversation, that he was not a man of learning. Therefore I believed and received it as an immediate inspiration, and concluded it was miraculous, and thought I should have been very glad if it could have been taken down in writing, that I might have found out what language it was, and what he had spoken. It was said to be Greek by one of the believers (Seth Wells) who professed to understand a little of the learned languages.

"In the evening we had a meeting of all the young believers, and three elders with us, and a number of spectators. He then spoke again about half an hour, breaking out while one of the Elders was speaking; at hearing which I was much affected, really believing it to 1 "Testimonies": XX:17 (p. 140). See also White and Taylor: op. cit, pp. 55-6-7. be immediate inspiration. It was said (by the same person before mentioned) to be Hebrew, Greek and Latin, speaking part of the time one language, and then another. After meeting, all the family sitting round the fire, as he was talking concerning the happiness of a religious life, suddenly his head shook, as if by a severe electric shock; he then closed his eyes and sung half an hour, in some language said to be Hebrew. As soon as he ended, he said, ’this was one of the songs of Zion,’ and exclaimed, ’how happy a soul feels that has a sense of the love of God.’

"The same evening he spoke a few minutes in some Indian tongue, or it appeared such by the gesticulations, etc. He told us that, ’he could only speak as he was inspired by the power of God, and then he had no will or power to stop; and that it often came upon him unexpected, and unthought of; and that he did not understand what he said, except when he had a sense of it given to him.’

"I was informed of an illiterate sister at Lebanon, in the same order, that had the gift of interpretation of tongues; and that she sometimes could state, or explain languages thus spoken: and previously to that time, one of the young believers (namely Seth Wells) who professed to understand Latin, informed me, in company with several others, that he had heard this same man at Lebanon, speak half an hour in Latin, which much strengthened his faith, and which he translated into English; and that he had heard him speak in French, a Frenchman being present at the same time. He further asserted that the forementioned sister, who had the gift of the interpretation of tongues being present, interpreted the same." 1 Brown tells us that he himself began to experience manifestations of the tongues:

1 Brown: op. tit., pp. 58-9-60.

"About this time I began to have operations of shaking, trembling and stamping, similar to some of my brethren and sisters at Nikeuna; and likewise a gift, as it is called, of speaking languages, or unknown tongues. At one time I had a gift to sing; but no one understood what I sung, nor myself neither. These things I did not do as a sham, nor with intentions to make others think I was under the influence of divine power; but I really, and sincerely believed I was influenced by the power: of God. . . . They told me that some had gifts of mortification, to bark like a dog, and crow like a cock, make a noise like a squirrel, and mew like a cat. 1

“I was so strong in the faith, that one day as we were conversing, concerning extraordinary gifts, I told the Elders I believed if I continued faithful, I should be so endued with power in speaking languages, I should be able to speak and preach to people in the different tongues, so that any nation or tribe of Indians could understand me." 2 We are indebted to Brown also for the following account of phenomena accompanying the manifestation of the tongues:

"One evening (during 1801) . . . being at a family meeting, a certain zealous woman turned all the time the others were labouring, and when we kneeled (which we generally did at the conclusion of the meeting) she prayed about fifteen minutes in an unknown tongue. As soon as we arose, she was taken with the operation of turning again, and continued it about fifteen minutes. She then retired to her room, where she was directly taken with the operation again. Being desirous to see everything that was going forward, I went into her room and took a seat. She continued whirling rapidly about half an hour. I thought she would have died under the 1 Brown: op. cit., p. 82.
2 Same: p. 89. operation; for it appeared to me it was more than human nature could bear. She broke out several times apparently in an unknown tongue, and spoke with great energy and emphasis, using violent gesticulations, and shaking, to appearance, sufficiently to dislocate every bone in her body. It was believed she was then thundering the gospel to disobedient, damned spirits. When the operation was over, she sat down. I then immediately entered into conversation with her, to see if her mind was not affected; but I could perceive no alteration in her. She told me what she uttered in prayer was on a sheet of paper held before her by an angel. The man of the house told me that a few evenings before while they were labouring, she spake and said, ’she saw an angel labouring by the side of him,’ and he believed it." 1 Brown makes also the following comments upon the tongues:

"Respecting such as speak in an unknown tongue, they have strong faith in this gift; and think a person greatly favoured who has the gift of tongues; and at certain times, when the mind is overloaded with a fiery, strong zeal, it must have vent some way or other; their faith, or belief, at the time being in this gift, and a will strikes the mind according to their faith; and then such break out in a fiery, energetic manner, and speak they know not what, as I have done several times. Part of what I spoke at one time, was: Liero, devo jurankemango, and , fileabano, durem fubramo, deviranto diacerimango, jaffe vah pe cri evanigalio, de vom grom feb crenom, os vare cremo domo." 2 A contemporary of Mother Ann describes Shaker worship and comments upon the tongues as follows:

1 Brown: op. cit., pp. 1 53-3.
2 Same: p. 297.

"For there is a perpetual scene of trembling, quivering, shaking, sighing, crying, groaning, screaming, jumping, singing, dancing and turning, which strikes the animal part, operating on the nerves of the greatest opposers, in following which the adherent finds an easy transition from pain with them to go into their several exercises, to mourn and rejoice with them, to kneel, to leap and dance, to turn and shake, and sometimes to utter forth their unknown mutter, so gibberish that a person not deluded would imagine they were a company of madmen, by whom their passions in different colours are artfully displayed; this they call the gift of new tongues, by which their opposers oftentimes find themselves severely scolded at, sometimes mocked, entreated, or flattered, according to the operation of their several humours, frequently gathering round some one of their own company who is not quite obedient enough for them, like spiteful birds in fighting, and peck upon him in their unknown mutter, as if they would pick his flesh from him." 1 Another contemporary account is quoted by Mary Dyer:

"When I was in the region about Harvard, an aged man told me he had seen Ann Lee, and that when she was in that place she made terrible havoc among families. He said she seemed to have a power like witchcraft. He told of a case of one Eleazar Rand and showed me the house where Rand’s folks lived, and said, ’Here lived that young man, and he was called as likely as any among us. Rand said, if others would go with him, they would take Ann and put her where she would make no more trouble.

"They went to the place where Ann was, and Rand said to a Shaker that they wished to see the Mother. The Shaker went into another room, returned, and said, she 1 Taylor, Amos: "Narratives of the Shakers." Worcester, Mass., 1782. will come in soon. She came, stood in the door, and fastened her eyes on Eleazar, then stepped forward, singing,

’Wi, ooo, wi, o urn, wi o, o o, wi o um,
Bamb bam, be iddle le dang,
Dang doodle ink e dong, doodle ink e dong.’

"She repeated this sing-song, walking moderately around Eleazar, until he lost all presence of mind, got up and followed her. Those who went with him were astonished, and told how she crazed Eleazar." 1

Lamson tells us that in connection with the administration of a "gift" called the "gift of the Father and Son," a preparatory form of worship was prescribed in detail in accordance with a special revelation. "The most important of the directions," he writes,

"were, that we should kneel every time we assembled for worship. Should sing no worded songs. That is, simply sing the tune without words, using instead of words something like the following: lo lo lo liddle diddle dum, te hoot te hoot te diddle te hoot, etc." 2 Lamson also writes:

"It is worthy of notice here that although the Shakers profess to speak in their inspirations all the languages that were ever spoken on earth, yet in sending out their gospel to the world, it was given to all the different nations in our own language. Except as the English is here and there interspersed with what is called ’unknown’ language. And indeed it is unknown, for I presume no linguist on earth could find any meaning to it. Their unknown languages, which are spoken at their meetings generally by their inspired ones, are indeed Unknown*;

1 "Rise and Progress," p. 259. 8 Op. cit. t p. 98. not being known even to the speaker of them. They are the veriest gibberish which has no meaning." 1 Betsey Looge of Loudon, New Hampshire, deposes and says inter alia:

"The Shakers had a strange power and that which I could not resist while with them. At times in their meetings, I had strange exercises, and from the impulse of Shakerism, I often whirled, and at times in agitation uttered inarticulate sounds, which I understood not; the elders said they understood it, and pretended to tell what it was. This they called speaking in other tongues. I consider it the same power affecting the nerves of my hand and tongue, as at other times caused me to whirl or fall. If I resisted, I was followed with convulsive affects." 2 Eunice Chapman in her Narrative also deposes:

"In the evening the different families came in to attend a general meeting; I was ordered out of their house, but did not obey; my children were dragged out of the room where I was, and compelled to stay alone; and while I endured fearful forebodings, I was surprisingly alarmed at the astonishing noise and confusion. They sung, talked and jumped about the floor, and pronounced ’jub, jub, jub, lobble, lobble, lobble, lobble, etc.’ Hannah told me that some had a gift to speak in an unknown tongue." 3 A Dr. Dwight was detained among the Shakers by a severe storm in 1783. "In their worship," he says, "these people sang in what they called an "unknown tongue/ It was a succession of unmeaning sounds frequently repeated, half articulated, and plainly gotten by heart, for they all uttered the same sounds in succession. . . . They 1 Op. cit., p. 113.
2 Dyer: "Portraiture," p. 196. 8 Same: p. 236. practiced many contortions of the body and distortions of the countenance. The gesticulations of the women were violent, and had been practiced so often and to such a degree as to have fixed their eyes in an unnatural position; made them goggle-eyed, suffused their eyes with blood, covered their faces with sickly paleness, and made them appear like persons just escaped or rather, just escaping, from a violent disease. The motions of the men were very moderate, and seemed rather to be condescendingly than earnestly made."

Dr. Blunt, 1 in the same article in which he quotes "Dwight’s Travells," cites the authority of another visitor among the Shakers who describes the Shaker exercises as follows:

"The men and women, all dad in grey cloth and wearing list slippers, occupied distinct positions in the place of meeting. A short extemporaneous address was delivered by an Elder of the party, who reminded his auditory of the mercies they had all experienced during the past week, and bade them therefore unite with him in ’cheerful expressions of gratitude to their heavenly Benefactor/ Upon the conclusion of this brief exhortation, twelve of the company arranged themselves in two lines, back to back, in the centre of the apartment; the rest of the congregation stood up in couples around them, the men forming one segment of the circle, the women the other. Thereupon those in the middle commenced singing in a loud voice some doggerel verses to a very lively tune:

"’I love to dance and love to sing, And, oh ! I love my Maker: I love to dance and love to sing, And love to be a Shaker.” Etc.

1 Op. cit., supra, pp. 558-9. The second quotation is given as from "Notes and Queries," and Series, XII:366.

"The several couples, perpetually smiling or giggling at each other, and flapping their hands in mid-air, accompanied this strange kind of psalmody by a quick, but monotonous shuffling of their feet, being an apology for a dance. This grotesque scene was prolonged for an hour and a half."

Frequent mention has been made of the "wordless" songs of the Shakers. Apparently these were tunes that were hummed, or songs of praise and worship in the tongues. Some of the hymns used were entirely in English, some in the tongues, and some in both English and the tongues. The following is a specimen in both English and the tongues, the lines alternating:

"O we will praise our Maker, yes, we even will,
Ki lo vin sa vo van vos onena vil,
Care van se neve cara van sa ve,
I le vin se vo san vos onena va." 1 The second stanza is entirely in the tongues:

"I lo le viteca vum vole os ca nere von,
I lo le viteca vum se ra os ca nere von,
I le viteca vole vum se ra ca os ca nere von,
I le viteca vole vum se ra os ca nana." The song called "Vicalun’s Prayer" is another interesting specimen of the gift of tongues. Vicalun was believed to have been the angel of repentance. "Vicalun’s Prayer" is as follows:

"Hark! hark! my holy, holy,
Vicalun seelen sor,
I have come to mourn
And weep with you
In low humiliation;
Pray to the Silium sool,
Whose hand can stay the billows,
And san si rulum sool."

1 Lamson: op. cit., p. 79.

"Vicalun’s Prayer," the song just quoted, "has a variety of changes, accompanied by the following motions: At the first line the head is inclined forward, with the forefinger pointing to the right ear, as in the act of listening. At the third line the hands are brought forward with an earnest beckoning motion. At the fourth line the hands are carried to the eyes as in the act of weeping, the body gradually bending till it sinks on the knees and the face touches the floor at the close of the fifth line. At the Commencement of the sixth line both hands are brought up to the side of the head as in prayer; at the seventh the right hand is thrown convulsively upward; at the word "Vicalun" both hands are extended wide. At the last line, and at the last word, they are clasped over the heart. The last four lines are repeated twice; appropriate motions accompany all songs sung by them." 1 1 Hammond: op. cit., p. 245.