The Darlington news. (Darlington, S.C.) 1875-1909, December 31, 1891, Image 2
HOW THE FESTIVAL IS KEPT BY
THESE RELIGIOUS CELIBATES.
fh« Day la One of Great Hlgnlftcanee t« j
Itieiu and In Obaererd wltli Great
84>lemulty—Their fitmu*, Marchea and
Shaking—Tl»e Christmaa Dinner.
No one probably celebrates the glad
Christmas holiday in a more peculiar
way than do the Shakers, those strange ;
yet industrious celibates who wer ■
brought over from England considerably
aver a century ago by the good old
“Mother Ann Lee.” There are several
colonies of these queer people in the |
United Stages, and all enjoy the same
pleasures, if there ran be such a thing in j
their lives, and all believe in the same |
doctrines. Years ago these honest bnt j
misguided jieople discovered that the
Scriptures directed all men and women
to live apart. They believe that be
cause the Messiah did not marry Hiss
sin for them to do so, and consequently
there is but one love in their lives, and
that a love of religion.
The Shakers have a manner and style
peculiarly their own and worship Ood
In every breath. Believing as they di
in the Messiah, they think it a duty to
celebrate the birth of the Saviour, a
their service on Christmas day is most
beautiful and impressive.
The remark “still as a Shaker meet
lug" has often l>eeu heard, and those who
have attended a meeting of these dovo
people know that a word is never spoken
until the “spirit moves,” and so it g<
from Sunday to Sunday until Chnstm
comes, which with them means a day ol
the greatest devotion. The day to them
does not bring tiie joys, pleasures and
dissipations of the world, there is nogiv
ing of gifts, no belief in St. Nicholas, no
Christmas tr -e and no pleasures, in fact
nothing but prayer. No preparations
are made fo- he glad festival.
The morriiig before Christmas the
celibates move toward the little clmruh
in couples. 'he men go by themselves
and dress in the conventional black, with
broad brimmed hats ami gaze straight
before them. They never smile, for to
smile is a sin in their belief. The worn
eu follow the men, and wear Shaker bon
nets of yellow straw and gray gowns,
and look prim and qaaint. A large
white handkerchief covers the chest in
primitive simplicity. Quietness reign.-,
throughout the day, never a word being
spoken. In fact the spirit does not
move, and the people stand there for
hours like statues. At sundown they
go to the dormitories aixl retire.
Christmaa morning they go to the
church again and pass the holiday in
prayer, song and religious glorification.
They stand perfectly quiet and mute un
til the “spirit moves," when each one
gives his or her experience, for on this
day above all they delight in testifying
to their great and complete happiness.
A Shaker church is entirely different
from the "world’s people’s" church. In
stead of seats or pews, as are usually
seen in churches, there is a big 01*11
space, and the men and women range
themselves on opposite sides of the room.
One of the elders makes a short address.
Then all is quietness. After about half
an hour a dozen or so of the younger
people, either male or female, or perhaps
both, enter the center of the space and
begin a solemn march.
The Shakers sing beautifully and their
tunes are remarkably pretty, sprightly
and quick in character, and have a won
derfully fascinating air. The rich, deep
bass voices harmonize perfectly with the
clear, sweet and high tenors and so
pranos. Almost irresistibly the feet and
hands of all commence keeping time
with rythmical beats. Soon the entire
l-.wly of Shakers are moving around the
singers. As the music increases the
men and women circling around be
come so imbued with the beating of the
notes that their bodies swing and rock,
their feet dance and shuttle, their hands
and arms swing and beat the air, all in
|>erfect keeping with the music. This
grows more intense until they all drop
from sheer fatigue. Quietness again
reigns for nearly an hour, when tie-
same performance is gone over, and then
over again, until sundown, when all re
pair to the dormitories to enjoy the only
meal in the year in each other's com
pany, for on every other day the men
ami women eat by themselves.
The Christmas dinner of the Shakers
is not like the Christmas dinner of the
world's people. There are no wines, fruits
nor delicacies. They have turkeys,
ducks, chickens and plain bread and
butter and vegetables of every kind,
well cooked and in the greatest abun
dance. The women occupy one side of
the table, the men the other. The elder
sits at the head and invokes divine bless
ing. then each man and woman rises al
ternately and lifting their right hand
say, "God is love.” They then begin
eating, and during the meal not a word
is spoken, each one helping himself or
herself to what they desire. They drink
an enormons quantity of milk during
the meal. At the conclusion of the
Christmas dinner all rise and sing. The
clear voices of the celibates make thi
banquet room ring with a soft and
charming melody. The hands and feet
of all keep time.
After the song the elder raises hiseyes
heavenward and chants a prayer in
which all join, after which they march
from the room in couples, the men to
gether and the women by themselves,
and go to their dormitories. The re
mainder of the night, while‘the world
outside is enjoying itself in every con
ceivable dissipation, is given up to son.
and prayer, and all night long the voftw
of the Shaker sisters and brothers aje
heard through the halls.
The Shakers are kind hearted snl geu
erous. They are very hospitable, sod 1
is one of their principles to entertain s.ml
honor all who come into their Uttl
world. For days before Christmas the.'
find great pleasure in sending good
things to the poor in the neighborhood
and no matter how poor a man may be
he is sure of a good Christmas dinner ii
he lives in the neighborhood of a colon}
of Shakers.—Buffalo Express.
WHAT CHRIS! MAS MEANS
Celebrated a* a Holy Day ftinee the Teat
of Our Lord Ud.
At midnight on the 2)th of this month
the birthday of the Saviour of mankind
will have been celebrated for the seven
teen hundred and ninety second time,
for Christmas was first kept os a holi
day A. D. US. We have no means of de
termining the exact date of the Saviour's
nativity.
As to the year, preponderance of opin
ion and of sncb evidence as we have
Seems to favor that of 4 or 5 B. C. As
to the mouth. December is the height of
the rainy season in Judea, and. there
fore, the fact, us stated by the New Tes
tament, that shepherds were watching
their flocks on its*plnin* whil ,-irs were
shining in the heavens 011 tae night of
the Saviour’s birth, makes it extr 111 -ly
unlikely that it could have ownnvd in
that month Many learned treatises
have been written and plausible ,.rgu-
incuts advanced to prove that it must
have taken place in Octoner. hut tin)
question will ever remain in abeyance
For the first three centuries Cunstm.is
was one of the moot movable of -sll re-
Ibrious festivals. .The Eastern church
observed Jan. 9 as the anniversary both
of Christ's birth and circumcision. But
in the Fourth century Pope Julius I or
dered an investigation of the matter,
and after long deliberation the theolo
gians of both the east and the west
united in appointing Dec. 13 to be kept
as Christ's birthday. It seems not im
probable that in selecting Dec. 23 as the
date of the greatest event save one—the
crucifixion—in the world’s history the
worthy fathers were influenced by a de
sire to supplant the many heathen fes
tivals of the winter solstice, such as the
Saturnalia, or great festival of Saturn
and Ops, which began on Dec. 19 (or
after cieaar’s reformation of the calen
dar on the 17th) and continued for seven
days.
This presumption is made more prob
able from the fact that for many centu I
lies the fern ; vities of Christinas were
prolonged until “Twelfth night," Jan. 6,
and even till Candlemas day, Feb. 2,
while they usually began as early as the
night before All Saints’ Day, or Hal- j
loween, thus showing the desire of the j
early fathers of the chnrch to make the
heathen converts to Christianity feel j
that they hud lost nothing in harmless ;
pleasure ami enjoyment by the substi- j
tution of the Christian festival for the j
heathen one.
Not only did the Romans observe this :
period of the year as a time for mirth ;
and rejoicing, bnt many of our most
familiar Christmas usages are derived
from the old heathen festivals which
Christmas replaced. The custom of
giving Christmas presents, now so uni
versally observed, was derived from the
old Roman Saturnalia or Feast of Saturn,
above mentioned, at which it was cus
tomary for all the members of a house
hold to offer gifts to one another.
The Yule clog, or log—the jjreat stiQt
of timber placed in olden tipies ujion the
Christmas tire—was derived troin the
Saxon feast of Jul or Yul, at which a
similar piece of timber gave the priuci
pal fire and the principal light. The
Yule clog and the superstitions con
uected with it are among the most ven-
arahle of Christmas associations. The
Yule clogs that blazed in the vast hulls
>f the old English feudal barons of the
Middle Ages were huge trees, and we are
told that even just before the close of
he last century the mansion of an Eng
lish gentleman residing near Shrews
bury was totally destroyed by fire in
:onsequence of too large a Yule log hav-
ng been lighted on his hearthstone.
When the Yule clog was not all con-
mined before dawn and burned on into
the light of Christmas day, its ashes were
carefully preserved until the next Christ-
nas eve.
The custom of decorating churches,
Iwellings and places of business with
■vergreen, holly, laurel, bays and mis-
letoe at the Christmas season has also a
K-atbeu origin, being a perpetuation of
in observance of the old British Druids,
whose belief it was that kindly sylvan
ipirits sought these ornaments of living
green and hovered near them, untouched
and unharmed by nipping frost, until
the death of winter.
Those some old Drnids attached much
importance to the mistletoe, investing it
with a peculiarly hallowed and mystic
character. They regarded it as an em
blem of love and believed that it typi-
led the beneficent feelings of their gods
toward mankind. It is doubtless to this
rid Druidical association of the mistle
toe with love that the English custom,
which still obtains, of enforcing the for-
eit of a kiss from any female who Is
aught under a branch of it at Christmas
iuie is traceable.
By the celebration of Christmas, with
ts grand liturgy, its magnificent music
m l its pictorial and dramatic repre
wntations of the principal events in the
ife of him whose birth it comment
irated, the church sought to replace
hese heathen festivities and to lift up
.he minds of the people to something
dgher and holier, though from the first
he day was regarded both as a holy
commemoration of a most sacred event
md as a mirthful, joyous festival. In
.ho Middle Ages the festive observances
>t the day often so far overtopja-d its
more sacred features that the clergy
were frequently compelled to check the
unseemly merriment of their flocks.
The name of Christmas assigned to
the festival was derived from Christ and
the Saxon maes.se or mass, and the two
words were combined to denote a special
service in honor of the birth of the Son
of God.
Probably one of ttie most generally
known of the old Christinas observances,
next to the giving of presents, is th.
dnging of C ristmas carols. These wer
ptous canticles designed to replace tin
ribald songs of the old heathen festivals,
and tne custom of children and eve:,
grown [icopie g-ang sboat from houst
to hiqyse singing them at the door on
Christmas eve and being rewarded with
Christmas cheer and Ceristmas spend
mg inouey is maintained in many part#
of England even at thn present day.-
New York World.
Specimen Cases.
8. H. Clifford, New Castle.
Wis., was troubled with Ncti
ralgia and Rheumatism, hit-
Stomach was disordered, his
Liver was affected to an alarm
ing degree, appetite fell away,
and he was terribly reduced in
flesh and strength. Three bot
tles of Electric Bitters cured
him. Edward Shepard, Harris
burg, 111., had a running sore on
his leg of eight years’ standing.
Used three bottles of Electric
Bitters and seven boxes of Bu k
len’s Arnica Salve, and his leg
is sound and well. John Speak
er, Catawba, O., had five large
Fever sores on his leg, doctors
said he was incurable. One bot
tle Electric Bitters and one box
Bucklen’s Arnica Salve cured
him entirely. Sold by Willcox
& Co’s Drug Store.
Waycross, Oa.
Dr. W. H. Whitehead:
Dear Sir—<At your request I
will state my case. Some years
ago I contracted malaria in its
most violent^orm while living
at Newark, N. J. I consulted
various physicians and took
Joye & Sanders,
For the Fall ami Waiter of M
numberless preparations recoin- We now have opened the largest ami as well specie
mended as “sure cures,” but it t
3wss (Goods, ivtmmmgs,
finally came South, and while
here tried new' le nedies, said to
always cure malaria, and it still
stuck to me, and you know the
broken-down condition I was in
when I came to your P. P. P.
(Prickly Ash, Poke Root and
Potassium), and 1 improved rap
idly, and am to-day in as good
health as I ever was—in fact
better. As a remedy fora brok-
endowii constitution it has no
equal. Yours, etc.,
T. P. Cottle.
Twenty-two newspapers in
Kansas are edited by women.
Clothing
$30 per suit.
feted stock of
etc., i
as was ever brought tu Darlington.
GEHTS’ FURNISHING GOODS. |
We have an elegant line of Gents, Youths and Boys’
in every style—Gents’Suits from $3 to
HATS from 25cts to $3 each
SHOES. SHOES.
Our Shoe Department is complete, and as usual our prices are
very low. Would call special attention to our Evitt &
1 rother’s Ladies’ Fine Shoes, every pair guaranteed
to give satisfaction.
Call and examine ocr goods and get our prices, before buy
ing; they will compare favorably with the low price of cotton.
Ihe Hiilejr Bill Boe Not Hurt,
Consumption Cured.
An old physician, retired from
practice, having had placed in
his hands by an East India mis
sionary the formula of a simple Give US tl Cilll, WC will SaVC YOU 11101 ICY.
vegetable remedy for the speedy | j j
and permanent cure of Cou-
Generosity of an Old Rival.
Agnes: “Frank has gone to
Dick out an engagement ring for
me.”
Kate: “Indeed! Well, there’s I
nothing mean about Frank. He
might have used the one he gave ,
me last summer. It was a per
fect beauty, too.”
Now Try This.
It will cost you nothing and
will surelv do you good, if you
have a Cough, Cold, or anj
trouble with Throat, Chest oj
Lungs. Dr. King’s New Dis
covery for Consumption, Coughs
and Colds is guaranteed to give
relief or money will be paid
hack. Sufferers from La Grippe
found it just the thing and under
its use had a speedy and perfect
recovery. Try a sa np!e botllo
at our expense an! !enni for
yourself just how goo 1 a thi ng
it is. Trial bottles fr< e at Wiil-
cox & Co’s Drug Store, Large
size 50c. and fl.00. j
sumption, Bronchitis, Catarrh,
Asthma and all Throat and Lung
Affections, also a positive and
radical cure of Nervous Debility
and all Nervous Complaints, af
ter having tested its wonderful
curative powers in thousands of
cases, has felt it his duty to
make it known to his suffering
fellows. Actuated by this mo
live and a desire to relieve hu
man suffering, 1 will send free
of charge, to all who desire it.
this recipe, in German, French
or English, with full directions
for preparing and using. Sent
by mail by addressing with
stamp, naming this paper. W.
A. Noyes, 820 rowers’ Block,
Rochester, X. Y.
Respectfully,
Joyc & Sanders.
DAlUel.Ntn'OY'S
Wff tf 5L ESALE
'1"
We
have in stock and to arrive in a few days.
One car
TO
load oi
npilE St cklielJers ot the Darling i
jo ton Fanners’ Alliance Coinpau} |
wul meet in the i'onrt House at Dai !
ington, Friday, January 1st, 1892, at ^
1 o'clock r. v. This meeting is called
by the Board of Directors, and every j
Stockholder is expected either to be
present or send written proxy >
K. M. WILLIAMSON, President.
W. J. ROGERS, Secretary.
Patronize Home Industries.
The Darlington Ginning, Milling, !
Fertilizer and Warehouse' Company j
are turning out the
Bacon,
Corn.
Flour.
Molassses.
the
F
1F rrt
A 1A
Cud
Mes 1
i
UnJ,
n
zround from best, sound co; n, and ab
■adutely free from adulteration. The}
propose to sell it as low as pure good
can be sold. Buyers, ask your mcr
•bant for Darlington Meal and take
no other; it is always fresh and always
reliable. Merchants, patronize you:
ii me mill and give your customer:
the best meal to be had, besides savi
writing, exchange on bills, and haul
ing. Give us your orders.
The Darlington
H t j r ,p. w P-,
Ufq iii.i r. a ii. Lt*
May 21-tf
Sheriff Sale.
XT A TE OF SOUTH CA Ho UNA.
COCNTY OS' DAKI.ISGTON.
Z. C. Norwood vs. Joanna Gar
ner—Judgment for Foreclosure.
By virtue of an order of court
made in this case, I will sell on
the first Monday in January
next or the Tuesday thereafter
in front of the court house of
Darlington county, all that tract
or parcel of land lying and be
ing situated in the county of
Darlington and State aforesaid,
containing one hundred and nim
acres more or less, and hounded
on the north by lands of Bruce
Davis and Henry Heath; east
by lands of Alexander Grey:
south by lands of estate of J. C.
Garner and west by lands ol
Gar.ier, the same being more
fully described in a deed from
the said Z. C. Norwood to said
Joanna Garner, bearing even
date herewith. Teuns of sale
cash, purch iser to pay for pa
pers. W. P. GOLF, S. 1). C.
December 14 1891.
Iii fact everything in
‘HEAVY GROCERY" LINE
We handle in large quantities.
IfiZgo We invite- a comparison of prices in
Wholesale Department with any
market.
Respectfully,
J, Ft'anls Em'bj.
Buggies
A.TMI3
Lon Prices of Lofton <i* not Injure,
/
/
Those who heed the Logic of the A ? A1 1 lOiTiPH Arguments
. Tlxe Only etiacl Oirigrino,!
Red Flag Racket Shepard,
WHOSE STASH IS THE OLD EYIWRISEHROfERV.OJi PEARL SRTEET.
The store is 150 feet long and is filled from end to end with
Lye Openers, a ml Record Smashers,
i’onipetition Millers.
oeifi Carts, tFagmis,
Harisess, Saddles, bridles,
Malted, Lap
Curs’y “Combs,
Harness Oil,
Whips, etc.,Be;Co
Ui’S.
f
KiS RUST CAHMiGH
in northern Georgia was a
mission of war and destruc
tion.
His Second Campaign,
Twenty years after, ends in
forgiveness for the first and a
happy marriage. Read the
particulars in
OUR NEW SERIAL
The story has many dra
matic situations and the inter
est never flags.
COPTRlGHlEDftND ILLUSTRATED. |
Tu belegun in The Darlington
News in the first issue in Janu
ary, 1892.
“Young Men’s ’ Buggies at $(55.00.
jfcirThe time has come for a brief matter of fact talk on a matter of fact subject.
You buyers of Fall and Winter Goods are about to supply yourselves with the
Necessities of the Wardrobe and Household Novelties for the Season. The idea
uppermost in your minds should be to getTiomcththing Good and Serviceable at
the Lowest Prices. Then it comes to the question of the right place to go. All
acknowledge that the RACKET has done more towards giving the people the
worth of their Hard Earned Cash than any store in town, so this settles the ques
tion as to where is the best ulaco to seek your fall and winter goods. We are going
to do business straight through this prosperous fallen the basis of the
—The Best Goods at the LoWfet Possible Prices.—
•
You will will find us prepared to please and certain to carry cutjall our promises
and we have an immense stock for you to choose from. We are crowded with bar
gains of the newest and best styles in seasonable goods. Every article has been
selected with care and bought at bed rock prices. Why, first see our 75 different
styles of Dress Silks, Plushes, Velvets, etc. McKinley'has no say in this matter
for we are below importers’ prices. We are confident that we have the goods you
want in new and popular styles and in the latest novelties.
ALL COUNTRIES ARE R-EPRESENTED HERE,
We don’t ask your patronage unless we can repay you in quality and prices. Our
goods, prices and intentions aio all right and you will he all right if you call at
our store and buy your supplies. Silks, 4octs and up; Shoes, 87}cts. and up; 200
dozen men and boys’ HATS, to fit every one of these heads,
iSreasliies,
rather.
$£2^ We sell good machine made HARNESS complete,
with Collar and llames, for $0.00.
We can furnish any style ot HANDMADE HARNESS,
from the cheapest single huggy harness to the finest coach har
ness; also one and two-horse wagon harness.
Special attention is called to our!
N. L. Harrell & Co.
Satisfaction.
When a man says he is Satisfied, he means a great deal.
JOueof the policy-holders of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, Mr. Charles
A. Edwards, of >ew York, who, in 1871, took a twenty-year Tontine policy
with the Equitable for $10,000, writes as follows: "I am extremely well satisfied
with this result, obtaininy more than $1,000 in excess of all the premiums I
hare paid, in addition to hnciny enjoyed the protection of my po’ioy during
the twenty years it has been in force 1 am loath to part with such an old
friend as this policy has been to me, but in doing so, l do not propose to part
■ompany with the Equitable, hating applied for another Tontine policy, the
benefits under which 1 also hope to obtain during my lifetime,"
Another, Mr Nathaniel Wilson, of Washington, writes in relation to policy
No 99,313 as follows: “J took out a Tontine policy in your Company for $20,000.
The poli'-y has been settled to my satisfaction. / bare since taken out policies
of the same kind for JoO.OOO,- because Tam satisfied that the Tontine plan is to
be preferred to any of which / have knowledge."
If these statements were from the widows or executors of policy-holders who
had died, they would he significant, or, if they were from policy-holders who
were satisfied with their assurance because it furnished protection, and gave
them sufficient peace of mind to offset the burden of the. coni inning annual
Premiums on their policies, they would he no more than reasonable assertions.
But this satisfaction is something more than this: It is the gratification of men
who have, over and above the protection from the assurance, rkalizkd on a
profitable investment. They have reason to be satisfied. For twenty years
they have been building up their business and accumulating fortunes, and
meanwhile their families and estates have been protected against the disaster i
which would have come, if through some accident they had died prematurely.
But these dangers have now been passed, and what is the result? Must they j
say, "M’e have paid out a great deal of money in premiums, but we hare e?t-1
ioyed the protection of our assurance, and arc satisfied that unr money has
been well spent: we have nothing more to expect, and hare nothing further to
ask." They might say this, and he content, but they are able to say much
more than this, thus: “ B> are more than satisfied because, in addition to the
protection gire.i. for allthese years, our Tontine policies hare turned outtobe
loud INVEST MENTS, as isprored by the fact that the Equitable has returned
U that we hare paid, with interest added "
Think of it! A return of the total amount expended in
iremiuniti, tvith compound interest at from 3 to 5 per
•entiini per annum added thereto.
GEO. HENRY McKEE, '-
Darlington, 8. C., SPECIAL AGENT.
from lOcts up; 3,000 yards of ribbon of all kinds, let and up; Nellie Bly cans
lOcts. and up. An immense stock of ’
MILLINERY
in charge of Miss M. A. Trice, and expert Milliner, from Baltimore.
Red Flag Racket Shepard,
*r» *
Headquarters, 541) Broadway, New Yolk.