Dancing, or the March, was not such a strange occurrence during a religious service of the early days of the Church. We have mention, in the Old Testament, of David and Miriam dancing before the Lord. Also there are 19 instances where dancing is mentioned in the Mosaic Law.
There was also a definite psychological purpose behind the Shaker marches, seldom explained, and rarely understood by the general Public. The perfect rhythmic body motions, of a worshipper, who combined this activity with a deep mental and religious fervor, developed within himself, a great spiritual inspiration, almost impossible to understand or describe, by one who has never witnessed or participated in this form of worship. But if one could have been present, as I was, and could have seen the perfect spiritual union, that was produced, when a soul combined the physical motions, the singing voice and the dedicated heart, in giving praise and thanks to God—I’m sure you would have agreed that the physical motions added a still greater dimension to the expression of Prayer. However, as years passed, and older members were unable to join in these marches, the exercises were discontinued, as it was considered necessary to maintain a perfect union among the members, a service in which all may participate as One.
Today, our Church Service is quiet and more formal, resembling, perhaps the Prayer meetings held in many of the churches of other denominations.
The first organ was introduced into the Society, by Elder Henry Blinn. It was one of the first built by the Prescott Organ Co., of Concord, N. H., and can be seen today, still in working condition, in our little Museum, right here at the Canterbury Village. When purchased, it was placed in the School House, where the members gathered for instruction in the reading of notes.
The introduction of instrumental music was quite an innovation among the Shakers. Eldress Dorothy Durgin felt that music added refinement to a young person, so she made a trip to a Music Company in Boston, to negotiate the purchase of a second organ for instrumental practices.
Eldress Dorothy possessed a gracious, winning personality, and so impressed the proprietor of the Company, that he presented the Society at Canterbury with a fine cabinet organ. The first piano was introduced in 1872. Later, pianos owned and brought in by those who joined the Society, provided added facilities for instrumental practice.
In order to encourage this musical movement, Eldress Dorothy held monthly recitals, at which each pupil was represented, everyone, from the beginner, who could do but simple finger exercises, to the more advanced student, who could, perhaps, master the difficult music of the classics. Every child who desired, was given the opportunity for musical instruction whether so gifted or not.
Soon other instruments found their way into the Society, and an orchestra was formed composed of 2 violins, cornet, bass-viol and piano. Some years later another orchestra was organized comprising 2 violins, a cornet, cello, 2 saxophones, drum and cymbals and pipe-organ and piano. This orchestra was under the direction of Professor Nevers of Concord, N. H., who also directed the well-known Nevers Band of Concord. The Society at Sabbathday Lake, also formed a small, but fine, orchestra. Indeed every Society made the study of music a part of their educational life.
On special days such as Easter and Christmas, the members arranged concerts, at which time they presented selections from Standard Cantatas, such as Gaul’s Holy City, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, etc., plus many choruses of our original composition.
On Christmas morning the young people greeted the family, as they assembled for breakfast, with a beautiful Christmas Carol. One especially impressive and original arrangement, was called “The Celestial Choir”. As the family assembled for breakfast a small group of singers, started singing on the attic stairs, and, as they descended, others joined them on each loft, resulting in a full chorus of voices, as they approached the lower hall, after which they joined the family in a well-prepared Christmas breakfast.