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This community is divided into several different There branches, commonly called families. are three classes, or progressive degrees of order, as follows:

The first, or novitiate class, are those who receive faith, and come into a degree of relation with the Society, but chuse to live in their own families, and manage their own temporal concerns. Any who chuse may live in that manner, and be owned as brethren and sisters in the Gospel, so long as they live up to its requirements.

Parents are required to be kind and dutiful to each other; to shun every appearance of evil; provide for their family; bring up their children in a godly manner; use, im prove and dispose of their property wisely; and manage their affairs according to their own discretion.-They may thus continue as long as it comports with their faith, their circumstances, and their spiritual improvement. But they are required to bear in mind the necessity and importance of a spiritual increase, without which they are ever exposed to fall back into the course and spirit of the world; and they can hold their connection with the Society no longer than they continue to conform to its religious faith and principles.

No children are ever taken under the immediate charge of the Society, except with the request or free consent of those who have the lawful right and control of them, together with the child's own consent. few, comparatively, are admitted.

But

Those taken into the Society are treated with care and tenderness, receive a good school education, according to their genius, are trained to industry and virtuous habits, restrained from vice, and at a suitable led into the knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, and practically taught the Divine precepts contained in them, particularly those of Jesus Christ and the Apostles.

age

The second, or junior class, is composed of persons who, not having the charge of families, and being under no embarrassments to hinder them from uniting together

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in community order, chose to enjoy the benefits of that situation. All the members of such families are mutually benefited by the united interest and labours of the whole family, so long as they continue to support the order thereof; and they are amply provided for in health, sickness, and old age. These benefits are secured to them by contract.

The third, or senior class, is composed of such persons as have had sufficient time and opportunity practically to prove the faith and manner of life practised in the Society, and are thus prepared to enter fully, freely, and voluntarily, into a united and consecrated interest. These covenant and agree to dedicate and devote themselves and services, with all that they possess, to the service of God and the support of the Gospel for ever, solemnly promising never to bring debt or damage, claim or demand, against the Society, nor against any member thereof, for any property or service which they have thus devoted to the uses and purposes of the institution. This class constitutes what is called church order, or church relation.

To enter fully into this order, is considered by the Society to be a matter of the utmost importance to the parties concerned, and therefore requires the most mature and deliberate consideration; for after having made such a dedication, according to the laws of justice and èquity, there can be no ground for retraction. Nor can they, by these laws, recover any thing whatever which has been thus dedicated. Of this all are fully apprised before entering into the contract. Yet should any afterward withdraw, the trustees have discretionary power to bestow upon them whatever may be thought reasonable, not on the ground of any just or legal claim, but merely as an act of charity. No person, however, who withdraws peaceably, is sent away empty..

Children taken into the order of the church, are treated with care and tenderness. The practical

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exercise of mildness and gentleness of manners, is early and carefully cultivated among them. All churlishness and moroseness of temper, all harshness of language, all rough, unfeeling behaviour, all unkind and uncivil deportment, and all mischievous and wicked propensities, are cautiously watched and reproved. Great pains are taken to lead them into the practical exercise of truth, honesty, kindness, benevolence, humanity, and every moral virtue. The duties of obedience to their instructors, respect to their superiors, reverence to the aged, and kindness and civility to all, are strictly enjoined upon them.

A good common school education is carefully provided for them, in which it is acknowledged that they generally excel children of their own age in the common schools of the country. Where traits of genius are discovered, their privilege of instruction, as occasion requires, is proportionably extended. They are early led into the knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, instructed in their history, and practically taught the Divine precepts contained in them, particularly those of Jesus Christ and his apostles. They are always brought up to some manual occupation, by which they may be enabled to obtain a livelihood, whether they remain with the Society or not.

No person can be received into this order until he shall have settled all just and legal claims, both of creditors and filial heirs; so that whatever property he may possess, may be justly and truly his own.

The members of this order are all equally entitled to the benefits and privileges thereof, without any difference made on account of what any one may have contributed to the interest of the Society. All are equally entitled to their support and maintenance, and to every necessary comfort, whether in health, sickness, or old age, so long as they continue to maintain the principles, and conform to the orders, rules, and regulations of the institution,

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They therefore give their property and services for the most valuable of all temporal considerations: an ample security, during life, for every needful support, if they continue faithful to their contract and covenant, the nature of which they clearly understand before they enter into it.

It may readily be seen, that such an order could not be supported, if its members, on withdrawing, should take whatever they have given, and have the avails of their labours restored to them. They have agreed to give it all to sacred and charitable purposes, claiming nothing but their own support from it. It has been disposed of according to their own desire; and the institution may therefore be no better able to refund it, than if such dedication had never been made. If, therefore, it should be returned to them, it would be literally taking it from those who remain faithful to their covenant, and giving it to covenant breakers. Who cannot see that this would be both unreasonable and unjust?

Notwithstanding all reports to the contrary, we confidently assert that no person has been wronged, by any dedication of property ever made to the purposes of this Society; and that no person whatever has any just or reasonable ground of complaint in this respect.

We believe it will be generally granted, that the history of the world does not furnish a single instance of any religious institution which has stood fifty years without a visible declension of the principles of the institution, in the general purity and integrity of its members."

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BY-ROADS TO THE HUDSON.

LETTER VIII.

RETURN TO NEW YORK—A LAND STORM-AMERICAN OPINION OF THE IRISH-CANADIAN AFFAIRS.

It was some time past mid-day before I left the Shakers' meeting-house, the service, or whatever it may be called, having begun at eleven, and ended at twenty minutes past one. I had no inclination to return to Lebanon Springs, whence I could get no conveyance any where for that day. So I determined to cross the country by a descending line towards the banks of the river Hudson, where, on some part of its shores, I might get on board some of the return steam-boats for New York. My way for some time lay through circuitous bye-roads, which, though not the most convenient, were favourable for getting a view of the country. Being still on the Shaker estate, which extends to a considerable distance all round, I lighted upon several of their cottages, into which I might have been invited had I shewn any inclination, but I determined to push on, fearing that the night might overtake me at a distance from shelter. The general direction of my route was at right angles with the town of Troy and New Lebanon; each limb of the angle, in a straight line, perhaps not exceeding twenty miles;