18
as "City of Peace March/' "Purity March," and "Sing Devotedly Order."
A program of Shaker dances and songs was performed in the 1840 's for a
period of seven weeks at the American Museum in New York. It is be-
lieved the two leaders may have beenfl____
aapafattoo^esm
.-- -- " the Canterbury," ~N. H *
A
colony.
Sisters Liridsay and Phelps in their pamphlet "Industries, Inventions
and Music" say:
"It is amazing how much sound reason is behind the thinking of
early Shaker leaders, and how much psychology was employed
(in using dancing or marching in their religious services). It
was the belief of the Shaker that every faculty should be used
in the worship of God, and so various forms of physical exer-
cise were introduced, particularly the March. A group of 8
or 10 singers occupied the center of the room, around which
the members marched in perfect formation. It was with a
graceful, rhythmic motion of the hands as the members marched
to the slow or quick tempo of the music."
They go on to state that the perfect rhythmic body motions combined with a
deep mental and religious fervor developed in the person a great spiritual
inspiration --"a perfect spiritual union." Shaker rhythm had to be felt. Near
the end of the popularity of the order, when most members were older and
could no longer join in the marches, the exercises were discontinued, "as
it was necessary to maintain a perfect union among the members."
The first music strains were adapted from Baptist and Methodist
hymns but it was necessary to create a whole new group of songs and hymns
to express both the rhythms and messages of their peculiar faith. Essentially
they were a folk culture--a vigorous independent movement free of many of
the restrictions and conventions which bound the established churches. It