5
were still loyal to King George. Therefore, neighbors of the Shakers sus-
pected them of being Loyalists when they saw cows or sheep being driven
toward their settlement by new converts, because it was thought that the
Shakers planned secretly to sell the livestock to agents of the King's armies.
However, this suspicion must have been stilled within a short time because
a visit was made by the Marquis de Lafayette to the Shakers "in the forests
of Niskayunart while he was in the service of General Washington, and Clara
E. Sears in her Gleanings from Old Shaker Journals, quotes a description
of the scene from "an old Shaker pamphlet" at East Canterbury, N. H.:
"Lafayette, in company with another officer in regimental
dress, entered very quietly the building where one of their
devotional meetings was in progress. The one among the
brethren most eccentrically exercised was Abijah Worcester.
His outward manifestations were of a very curious type. He
was under a spell of singular violent agitations; jerking,
shaking, and suddenly twisting in convulsions, in a most re-
markable manner. Lafayette's tall and manly form arose in
the seat he occupied near the door, and he passed down directly
to the front of the congregation and seated himself by AM
side, and fastened his eyes upon him most intensely, and as
Abijah felt moved upon by the spirits to go into convulsions,
Lafayette would reach out his arm and lay his hand upon the
subject under agitation. This disconcerted Abijah not a little,
and he began to feel the presence of the distinguished visitor
with some alarm. Finally, with much effort, he gasped, TYou
seem desirous of obtaining this power. ' But the reply he re-
ceived in a calm, clear voice, T It isdesirable,' so worked
upon Abijah that he suddenly arose and ran out of the door,
followed as suddenly by General Lafayette, who kept close by
his side. To break the connection, Abijah hurried to the barn,
but with his silent investigator close upon his heels. To make
a show that he had business there, Abijah seized a broom and
commenced a most vigorous sweeping of the floor, but there
stood his inquisitorial friend, waiting patiently to see what the
next move would be. Abijah, in dismay, started for the house;