Signed second edition of Millennial Praises
Published by Josiah Tallcott, Jr.
Hancock, MA | 1813
Original leather-bound volume
6 ⅞” h. x 4 ½” w. x 1 ¼” d.
Provenance: Robert & Hazel Belfit, Watertown, CT
From their earliest days, the Shakers used song as an essential expression of faith. Hymns sung in worship give voice to a range of human emotions. Sung together, Shaker spirituals not only unite; they bind. “We must remember,” said Sister Marguerite Frost (1892-1971) of the Canterbury community, “that these were not just songs, but deep feelings from the soul.”
In 1812-13, the Shakers composed their first hymnal, Millennial Praises. Compiled by Brother Seth Youngs Wells (1767-1847) of New Lebanon, New York, and edited by Brother Richard McNemar (1770-1839) of Union Village, Ohio, the book containing 140 hymns was published by Brother Josiah Tallcott, Jr. (1766-1814) of Hancock, Massachusetts.
This hymnal was used by the New Lebanon, New York, Shaker community. Two names are inscribed on the pages indicating ownership: “Rachel Spencer” and “Eliza Ann”
Eldress Rachel Spencer (1764-1852) was admitted to the Shaker community in New Lebanon in 1788, formally signing the covenant in 1801. She was appointed 1st Eldress in 1806, so it can be presumed that her hymnal was retained by the Church Family following her death in 1852. Given the popularity of the given name “Eliza Ann,” it is challenging to identify the second signature. Overall, the volume is in excellent condition with light wear. There is some foxing on the edges of pages commensurate with age, with very little staining to the interior of the pages. The Belfit family kept the volume housed in a sheet plastic cover, which preserved the leather.
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