improvement are at their maximum, and waste and destruction at their minimum, the Society must go on increasing the extent and value of its temporal possessions, and thus increase its means of doing good, first within, and then beyond its own circle.

In support of the soundness of the principle, that co-operation is more productive of advantage to a community than competition, the history of the Shakers furnishes an irresistible proof; and if this doctrine had been unmixed with any peculiarities of moral or religious views, it would have spread more widely; for the principle is no doubt sound in itself, though often clouded and retarded in its progress, sometimes by having too little, and sometimes too much of religious belief mixed up with it by its respective advocates.

CHAP. XXI.

Peculiar opinions as to the original sin of Adam and Eve-Scriptural authorities in support of these views-Milton's Paradise LostCurse denounced on woman at the fall-Fulfilment of this in the punishment of child-bearing-Peculiar crimes of the antediluvian world-Child-bearing of Sarah in her old age- -First instance of a child being conceived through faith alone-Examples and illustrations from the Mosaic law-Authority of Mr. Wilberforce quoted by the Shakers-Profligacy of the sexes during the reign of antichrist-Early conduct of church reformers, Luther and Calvin-Authority of John Wesley in support of celibacy-Birth and example of the Saviour Opinions of the apostles on the subject of marriage-Reply of Jesus to the Sadducees touching wives and husbands-The chosen saints in heaven "not defiled with women"-Answers of the Shakers to the objections urged against them-Admission of the utility of marriage to the "world's people"-Practice of clapping the hands and dancing, used in their worship-Examples of Miriam, Jephthah, and David -Scriptural commands to clap the hands, to sing, and danceAnswer to the objections made to these practices - General reflections on the sect and their peculiarities.

On the subject of abstaining from marriage, the authorities and reasonings of the Shakers are very full. They seem to have thought that this was the most difficult part of their system to render intelligible and acceptable to the world, and they have accordingly laboured with corresponding diligence to justify their opinions and practices in this respect, by an abundant quotation of scriptural authorities.

They begin by endeavouring to show that the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve, consisted not in

the eating of the fruit which grew on the "tree of knowledge," but in that which the eating of this fruit excited them subsequently to acquire-namely, that criminal knowledge of each other, which they contend was the first act of sin, and first cause of shame, as expressed in the book of Genesis, iii. 7. And as an illustration of the process of the birth of sin from this communion, they quote the expressions of the apostle James, i. 14, 15.

On this subject, of the nature of the original sin committed by our first parents Adam and Eve, and by them transmitted to all their posterity, the following passages are selected from a large mass of others, as being those which are the most intelligible, and without which no just estimate could be conveyed, either of their own views on this subject, or of the reasonings and authorities on which they are founded.

"While the man and the woman stood in uprightness and innocence, they were both naked, and were not ashamed,' Gen. ii. 25, which certainly implies, not only that their nakedness was no just cause of shame, but that they never could have known it, had their innocence continued.

"Before the fall, they doubtless knew that they had no clothing; but now their eyes were opened, and they had acquired a criminal knowledge, and became sensible of a passion to which they had ever before been strangers, namely, shame.

"The origin of this will be easier to account for, if we suppose, with some, that the juice of this tree was inebriating, since we know from common observation, that juices of such a quality will excite strange commotions in the animal frame, and give a strong predominacy to the animal appetites.

"Under these circumstances we need not wonder at the subterfuges to which they ran, since it is never expected that the conduct of persons under the power of intoxication, or the oppression of guilt, should be perfectly consistent with the rules of cool reflection.

DOCTRINES OF THE SHAKERS.

389.

66 According to the above, shame was the effect of a criminal knowledge, which is most strictly true. By eating the forbidden fruit, they knew that they were naked: and hence that shameful act is so commonly expressed by the term knowing."* Gen. iv. 1—25.

It is not assumed that the production of offspring was not intended by God to take place between Adam and Eve; but it is believed by the Shakers, that this was to be under subjection to certain laws of times and seasons; to be considered as a solemn and religious duty, for the mere purpose of multiplying their race, and with feelings the most remote from those of mere concupiscence. They insist that this would have been the case in the fulness of time, if Adam and Eve had preserved their original innocence by obedience; but by transgressing the command of God, in eating of the fruit which he had forbidden, they yielded, in the language of Milton, to the "carnal desire" with which this fruit inflamed them; and thus sinned by a premature and guilty commission of an act, which, if performed at a later period and with other motives, would have been innocent and honourable; just, as with the world at present, the giving birth to offspring before marriage is deemed guilty and degrading, though the same event after marriage, is by the same persons regarded as perfectly innocent and honourable. Therefore it is they express themselves as in the following paragraph:

"It must be granted by all, that God formed the woman for the and man, gave her to him, and commanded them to be fruitful: at

* Milton gives a striking description of the effects of the forbidden fruit on Adam and Eve, in the following lines:

least, it was a natural law established in them by the order of creation. But how were they fruitful? Did God own that for real fruit which they brought forth?

"The effect must be like its cause. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.' Their first fruit was a murderer, which proved that the cause from which he sprang, was something wholly different from the original and pure law of nature. As it is written,

Cain was of that wicked one, and slew his brother;' hence it is certain that he was not begotten of God, nor according to his will, but through the lusts of the wicked one.'

"Therefore, we say, if there be a man and woman now existing on the earth, honestly united in a covenant of promise to each other, who have so much of the fear of God, as never to gratify their desires in any other manner than with the sole motive to obey the will of God, they are verily an honour to the original law of nature, a blessing to themselves and posterity, and an example to the human race."

The difficulty of living in a state of wedlock, and conforming to this standard of purity which is here set up, is so great, however, in the estimation of the Shakers, that they deem the only safe mode of life to be that of complete separation in the sexes: accordingly, not only do they themselves live separately in their communities, but, if "people of the world," as strangers are called by them, visit their establishments, and are obliged to remain all night, they separate husband and wife without scruple, and put them to sleep in different apartments.

In following out the exposition of their views on this subject, of the first origin of sin, and its inevitable consequences, they offer the following array of authorities and opinions.

"It is granted, that sin is the first cause of shame; for when Adam and Eve stood in a state of innocence, they were both naked, and were not ashamed. But no sooner had they transgressed, than