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Last Update —
October 5, 2015 contains —
New Material on the Modern
Sabbathday Lake Shakers
plus access to More 21st Century SDL Information
Introducing the Early Shakers
What were the beliefs of the people, called Shakers? What underlying power fueled their ingenuity, their invention, their industry, and their amazing influence on people of all cultural and religious backgrounds?
“Shaker Manuscripts On-Line” is an Internet web-site where some of the original, EARLY Shaker writings are being made available for public access...where these people, who saw themselves as instruments of God, can once again convey their messages and accomplish their outreach to those, who are hungry for answers...to those, who have “ears to hear”.
This is a place where the EARLY Shakers can once again share with you what they believed to be the ongoing, inspired transmissions from the fullness of the Godhead.
Here you may be troubled by what you find; here the foundation of your religious life may literally be shaken — as only the EARLY Shakers knew how to do ... but then again, you may be awakened, challenged, inspired, mentored and nurtured by what they have preserved for us... and here you may even find a confirmation of some truths that you have known in your heart of hearts ... all along.
It seems fitting that their works be made freely available to all seekers, according to the way of the early Shakers, — “without money, without price”.
As more and more people choose to voluntarily simplify and purify their lives, there has been a tremendous resurgence of interest in the EARLY Shaker beliefs. The record of their accomplishments, so carefully preserved by Shaker historians, stands the test of time, and draws us to ponder. Many examples of their ‘things’ and ‘works’ remain in the modern world — to be examined by any Seeker who visits one of the historical Shaker communities, or who views the many lovely books written about them by the World. Those books carefully document all the physical evidence, even their music, from their time upon the Earth. Those books may be relatively easy to find.
So much has been written about the Shakers but until now, what the Early Shakers actually wrote and published themselves, has been unavailable for individual study. Most of the written materials from the early days of Shaker communities has been preserved on microfilm or archived in museums, private collections, or library vaults, — generally out of the reach of the average person.
So, here is a web-site where interested people may have access to some of these exceptional writings— which were viewed by the Early Shakers as direct communications from other realms, inhabited by the Most High God, Holy Mother Wisdom, the Lord Jesus Christ, Mother Ann, many Orders of Angels, the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apostles, the Saints, as well as many Sons and Daughters of God from former and latter times, having joined them there, for the ongoing, progressively unfolding, work of the Kingdom of God — the heavenly ZION come among Men, both in this temporal world and in the eternal world.
Index of On-Line Early Shaker Manuscripts
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
ALL E-Text © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 Pass the WORD Services
E-Text Copyrights renew with each published update.
~ Revelations and Prophecies from the Early Shakers ~
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Books from the Early Shakers About their Beliefs & Way of Life ~
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Early Shaker Writings Relating to Self Denial & Sexual Abstinence ~
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Commentary from the Early Shakers ~ | The Virgin Life — Shown to be a Necessity for Serious and True followers of Jesus Christ; Concise Answers to a frequently asked question. | |
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Teenage Shootings at American Schools — Did the Early Shakers understand the driving Forces behind such outbursts? Could they offer counsel and insight about how teens are moved to commit violent acts? |
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A Brief History of the Rise and Progress of the United Society — Written by the Early Shakers and published as an Appendix to the 4th Edition of “Testimony of Christ's Second Appearing” in 1856. Here is an opportunity to read the Shaker perspective of themselves and their place in history. |
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Ten Practical Principles by which the United Society is Guided in All its Institutions — Written by the Early Shakers and published as a Compend to the 4th Edition of “Testimony of Christ's Second Appearing” in 1856. |
Additional Background Information
At their peak productive, religious time, there were thousands of Shakers living in “order” at the various settlements. They differed from other similar “Plain People” sects of their day [and to the present time], in one main point — the EARLY Shakers believed in and rigorously practiced sexual abstinence. That is, they did not engage in any form of sexual gratification or sexual indulgences of any kind.
This practice availed them of tremendous extra energy and focus which resulted in a clarity of mind that was capable of hearing God and seeing heavenly Visions. When the communications from the Godhead began, those virgin vessels, who were chosen by God to receive and transcribe the messages, were generally excused from their daily chores and set aside, in solitude, for their more important tasks.
Many of the inspired messages were given only for the Shakers and contained much needed reproof and correction among themselves. Other messages were given for all of Mankind — it is of the latter type that you will find on this site. Also to be found here are those manuscripts that the EARLY Shakers authored themselves, to satisfy the inquiries of the world, as to what they were about and how they lived.
You are invited and most welcome to explore the documents on this site that were published by the EARLY Shakers. If there is a quickening in your heart, a drawing to what is published here, realize that you are drawn, not just to the ones who once were used to transcribe this material — for they have passed on — but, dear reader, you are drawn and called to the Source from whence the material originated — and that Source may be trying, once again, to reach us All.
An Explanation from Pass the WORD
The Genuine Early Shakers vs. Sabbathday LakeSome of the messages and writings from the EARLY Shakers first went on-line at Pass the WORD in the late1990's; at that time those at PTW, who were involved in preparing the documents for the Internet, had an understanding that all Shakers were part of the revival that happened during that special window of time, when the Most High found a few early Shaker vessels through whom specific messages were given...messages not only for the World but for the Shakers themselves. It has gradually come to our awareness, and confirmed by way of Stephen J. Stein's comprehensive and historical book, The Shaker Experience in America, that the original publication of these writings by the EARLY Shakers, caused a serious commotion and subsequent rift between all the existing colonies of Shakers. Those at Sabbathday Lake (SDL), were among the communities who refused to believe in Mother's Work nor did they acknowledge the messages or accept the many reproofs received during The Era of Manifestations. With one exception, all of the remaining Shaker communities have dwindled down to the present day until no members remain at all. That exception is the Sabbathday Lake Colony in Maine where just a few people, who still call themselves, Shakers, live and work. Many of the other Shaker settlements are still beautifully maintained as historic sites and they may be visited by those who would like to see them firsthand.
Dear Readers, please be aware of the vast difference in beliefs between the genuine EARLY Shakers and those MODERN faux-Shakers at SDL today. Just as Christians today in no way resemble the early Christians, just so it is with the Shakers. It is now over 170 years since those at SDL went their own way, and today they adhere to their own traditions of their own choosing, mixed with other beliefs and traditions that were adopted as the colony accepted an influx of members and leadership from many different MODERN Christian denominations. Stein's book even labels the SDL colony members as the Ecumenical Shakers and he devotes an entire chapter to them. We recommend that you read that chapter, and perhaps, the whole enlightening book.
Over the years, PTW has received email correspondence from site visitors who subsequently went to SDL and had their own experiences, some good and some very bad. For those site visitors who have had any bad experiences, we belatedly ask for their forgiveness for the grief that may have been caused, due to our lack of clarity on the subject of Sabbathday Lake, and we pray that the Lord has used those bad experiences for good and for the accomplishment of His purposes. So the reason for this new addition to the Shaker Manuscripts 0n-Line page, is to remedy that lack of clarity about SDL, and to present what the Lord has brought to our attention.
As mentioned above, the Sabbathday Lake colony of Shakers did not believe in the revelations and prophetic messages when they were given and published, and they chose not to partake of, or act upon, the content of the messages. In that regard, nothing has changed; those MODERN members at SDL are still unbelievers. The SDL residents, who still call themselves, Shakers, have progressively aligned themselves with the World, on which they are now totally dependent for their support, resources and livelihood. Various people have joined and then left the group over the years either for their own reasons, or because they were rejected by the few existing members. The SDL web-site shows that there is still an active program to recruit new members to SDL's own version of MODERN Shakerism.
As the numbers at SDL decreased, all their busy, intense, worldly, money-making activity at the colony left little time for the study or publication of the EARLY Shaker writings, and because the SDL Shakers never held them to be true, they had no reason to do so. So in God's timing, in the 1990's, it was left to others to recover, transcribe, share, and pass along to us some of what the EARLY Shakers left behind ... and that was the original purpose for this web page, Shaker Manuscripts On-Line, which gives free access to anyone that God leads to find them.
As the stewards of these on-line writings, we are saying this once again...Be aware, the beliefs of the genuine EARLY Shakers were rejected by the Shaker members at Sabbathday Lake during the Era of Manifestations, and nothing has changed in that regard. Do not be confused or misled. From a spiritual point of view, the MODERN members at SDL are something else altogether. There is plenty of recent on-line information concerning Sabbathday Lake and it certainly tells a story. A separate report with some commentary, has been prepared to assist in seeing past the smoke and mirrors, giving light to what or who has been hidden in the shadows behind the carefully constructed SDL curtain. In that report will be found access to on-line SDL-related facts and figures so that those dear Readers, who are so led, may discern what the Spirit of Truth will show them.
On a more positive and hopeful note, we want to share with you all, that we are aware of more than one group of people who still believe in the teachings of Mother Ann Lee as well as the communications from the Godhead given to and through the EARLY Shaker messengers. These souls do not reside in any Shaker community of record and as far as we know, they have no present association with the MODERN faux-Shakers at Sabbathday Lake. They do not even call themselves Shakers, as that name has come to stand for something quite different in the present day.
Report on the 21st Century Sabbathday Lake Colony
Printing the Manuscripts: For step by step instructions, how to possibly deal with printer problems, how to customize page headers/footers, suggestions for those with no computer/printer, and more information about the on-line documents at PasstheWORD ...
Please report any typographical errors using the link at the bottom of each document. Although many proofings are done before the documents go on-line, we always appreciate fresh eyes and what is revealed through them. Many thanks and blessings.
Stewards of this Site: Pass the WORD Services.
