Shaker Village,Sabbath Day Lake,
Poland Spring, N.Y.
Members of FATHER DIVINE'S International Peace Mission Movement fellow shipped with members of the United Society of Shakers for the first time in June of last year when eight sisters and four brothers from Philadelphia visited the Shaker Village at Sabbathday Lake at Poland Spring, Maine. We arrived on Friday in the late afternoon and were to share their lives with them until Sunday the 12th.
After a warm welcome from Sister Frances, the Eldress in charge, and other sisters and brothers and from Mr. Gerard Wertkin, Director of the American Museum of Folk Art in New York City, we were shown to our quarters. Because Mr. Wertkin knew both groups well, it was through him that MOTHER DIVINE and Sister Francis arranged for the meeting.
Dining together.
Dinner was served at 6:30 p.m. in the Main House where we took all our meals during our stay. With the ringing of the large bell in the belfry of the Main House brothers and sisters assembled in separate sitting rooms and waited to be summoned to the dining room. When the bell rang we all entered, the brothers through one door, the sisters through another, as is the Shaker custom. There were six long tables that accommodated eight diners at each table. We stood behind our chair, sisters on one side of the room, brothers on the other and waited for Sister Francis to summon us to take our seat. The food was brought in and placed on the tables. A complete menu of the main course was placed before each four diners. As two people sat across from two other people, they served each other. This is called 'the Shaker Square.' Before the meal began we all bowed our heads in silence until Sister Frances said, 'Amen.' We all enjoyed getting acquainted with each other as we ate a delicious, traditional New England dinner, which included Boston baked beans. They either eat in silence or talk softly together; they do not sing at the table as we are accustomed to doing.
After dinner we all ascended the separate staircases for brothers and sisters to the beautiful large music room that is enjoyed by the Shaker Family on such occasions as this. The walls are adorned with respected Shakers of the past and the furnishings were comfortable. A fine grand piano was used to accompany us in singing songs, some from the Shakers and then some from the Peace Mission. A lovely time was had by all at the first evening together - the six Shaker sisters and two brothers and the group from The Peace Mission.
The next day, Saturday, we were given a tour of the Shaker Village with its many buildings, including their newly renovated library, which has an atmosphere controlled vault that houses all their priceless documents, their Meeting House building, workshops, museum and gift shops. We saw also the scenic Sabbathday Lake and a few of the 1900 acres they own. Space does not permit describing this wonderful and most informative tour.
After dinner in the evening, we assembled again in the music room. It was during this second evening together that the Shakers and the FATHER DIVINE followers realized how close they were to each other. We told of our daily duties and responsibilities and they told of theirs. Everyone appreciated each ones dedication and consecration to the Cause of CHRIST. We sang many songs together - their songs and our songs. In this atmosphere of unity and harmony with GOD and HIS Ideas and Ideals for mankind's Redemption from the Curse, we entered the Upper Room. A higher degree of love and understanding of GOD and of each other. Yes, we felt the Actual Everpresence of GOD. He truly overshadowed us with HIS Holy Spirit. As we sang into the night, each one felt more courage to go on living the Life of CHRIST - to go on in Virtue, hoping to be GOD'S Ransom for the world.
Sunday morning, we lingered after breakfast, and at noon, we attended their Church Service in the Meeting House. Quite a few people from the surrounding communities come to this service. The Presence of GOD was evident as the Spirit moved in many to express their thoughts - the Shakers with their songs and testimonies, we with our songs and testimonies and the outsiders with their testimonies - all given as praise to our Almighty GOD. We had a feeling as Sister Frances said, that we were having a 'mountain top' experience - a feeling of closeness with the LORD, transcending all personalities for that instant, and dwelling in the Oneness of GOD and man.
Following Church Service, we had dinner with the Shaker Family and soon after, bode them farewell. It was significant that we were with them at the beginning of their celebration of the Communities Bicentennial year when they held their first Sunday Service of the year in their meeting hall. We know it was FATHER DIVINE recognizing and blessing them for their faithful love, devotion and service to GOD throughout the centuries.
Four members of the Shaker Community, two brothers and two sisters, were our guests in Philadelphia October 14-16, returning our visit to them. They were the personal guests of FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE at Woodmont. Upon their arrival on Friday, a Holy Communion Banquet was served in the Woodmont Chapel Dining Room, during which they expressed their joy at being with us, and we in turn were delighted to see them again.
The next day, Saturday, they were given a tour of Woodmont - the Manor House, the Shrine to Life, the other buildings and the grounds. Then they were taken to Philadelphia and shown some of our churches, hotels and apartment houses, as well as some of the historic sites around Independence Hall where our Nation was founded. Towards evening, the Shakers were taken to the Divine Tracy Hotel where they saw some of the rooms, the Keyflower Dining Room, and the Divine Enterprise. They were told of the many services rendered by the Hotel to guests from many states of the union and many nations abroad as well as to the surrounding community.
Later they enjoyed a Holy Communion Banquet. During this service, they sang many of their original compositions and we also sang some of ours, just as we had done when we met in Sabbathday Lake in June. They explained the Shaker Life further and what it means to each of them. The year 1994 marked the 200th year of the Sabbathday Lake Village. They told of how they were honored by the community and of the proclamation by the Governor of Maine upon the occasion of their 200th Anniversary. A beautiful evening was experienced by all, and as MOTHER DIVINE said so eloquently:
'. . . we are just so happy that we can praise GOD together and give thanks. Give thanks for this long Spiritual Journey that those of the followers of Mother Ann, the Shakers, and we the Followers of FATHER DIVINE have come to bring us to this wonderful historic time when we can be here together in the City of Brotherly Love.'
Late Sunday morning, another Holy Communion Banquet was served in the Chapel Dining Room at Woodmont. During the banquet, MOTHER DIVINE expounded on this Life of Virtue, coming all the way down through the ages from Abraham, through the various milestones up unto this day. Her words were truly magnificent! Many other testimonies of our fellowship together were given. At about 2 p.m. they took leave of us and headed home to the Shaker Village in Maine.
Their visit with us and our visit with them cannot really be adequately told in words because this was a meeting of Souls in Accord. The Spirit permeated the services that were held, and the fellowship was felt by all present. We thank You, FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE for being a part of this coming together of such Virtue and Chastity. May their lives and ours, as each one lives the Life of CHRIST, be living sacrifices for the Healing of the Nations - healing from the corruption and anti-Christ like behavior in this torn world!
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