Shakers
Shaker Witnesses
CES Letter Core Question
Why should we believe the Book of Mormon Witnesses but not the Shakers witnesses?
Shakers
The Shakers and Ann Lee:
The Shakers felt that “Christ has made his second appearance on earth, in a chosen female known by the name of Ann Lee, and acknowledged by us as our Blessed Mother in the work of redemption” (Sacred Roll and Book, p.358). The Shakers had a sacred book entitled A Holy, Sacred and Divine Roll and Book; From the Lord God of Heaven, to the Inhabitants of Earth.

More than 60 individuals gave testimony to the Sacred Roll and Book, which was published in 1843. Although not all of them mention angels appearing, some of them tell of many angels visiting them. One woman told of eight different visions.
Here is the testimony statement (page 304 of Sacred Roll and Book):
We, the undersigned, hereby testify, that we saw the holy Angel standing upon the house-top, as mentioned in the foregoing declaration, holding the Roll and Book.
LOUISA CHAMBERLAIN.
CATY DE WITT.
LAURA ANN JACOBS.
SARAH MARIA LEWIS.
SARAH ANN SPENCER.
LUCINDA MCDONIELS.
MARIA HEDRICK.
Joseph Smith only had three witnesses who claimed to see an angel. The Shakers, however, had a large number of witnesses who claimed they saw angels and the Sacred Roll and Book. There are over a hundred pages of testimony from “Living Witnesses.”
CES Letter, Page 103-104
Next Relevant Quote
Why should we believe the Book of Mormon Witnesses but not the Shakers witnesses?
CES Letter, Page 104
The CES Letter continues to attempt to discredit the Book of Mormon witnesses by comparing their messages to that of over seventy testimonies published in the appendix of A Holy, Sacred and Divine Roll and Book.
However, a comparison demonstrate many important contrasts:
Witnesses |
Book of Mormon | Sacred Scroll (Shakers) |
Viewed the same things | Yes |
No |
Commanded to bear witness |
Yes | No |
Spiritual and physical experiences | Yes |
No (all spiritual) |
Supernatural Experiences given to fulfill the law of two or three witnesses |
Yes | No |
Testimonies specifically to all the world | Yes |
No |
Later denials that the ever denied their testimonies |
Yes | No |
Specific purpose of witnessed experiences | Yes |
No |
Unified message |
Yes | No |
Randomness of visions and testimonies | No |
Yes |
To read the testimonies, Click here.
In Christian theology, “in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word [should] be established” (2 Cor. 13:1). The Book of Mormon witnesses were granted very specific supernatural experiences and then commanded to bear witness of what they saw.
The Shaker Roll and Book afterwards fell into discredit and dishonor among the Shakers themselves and was abandoned by its leaders and most believers,[12]
After the Three Witnesses saw the angel and the plates, Lucy Smith recalled Joseph exclaiming:
"Father, mother, you do not know how happy I am: the Lord has now caused the plates to be shown to three more besides myself. They have seen an angel, who has testified to them, and they will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said, for now they know for themselves, that I do not go about to deceive the people, and I feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear, and it rejoices my soul, that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world” (History of Joseph Smith, p.153).
Who were the Shaker Witnesses?
Shakers had 5200 members in 1860.
Virtually nothing is known about these Shaker witnesses. Contrast that with an abundance of testimonies and interview from the Book of Mormon witnesses. Here is what I could dig up:
- BETSEY BOOTHE.
- LOUISA CHAMBERLAIN.
- This shaker list appears to be her. Born in 1805.
- 1850 Census in NY
- 1860 census living with Lucinda McDonald (below)
- CATY DE WITT -
- A collection of hymns and spiritual songs improved in our worship : New Lebanon, February 16th, 1834 / 1834-1841
Author:Caty DeWitt - Estimated birth 1770 to 1810. New york?
- I wonder if she's related to this shaker Henry Dewitt. (1805-1860) who left a journal which can be found in Shaker Autobiographies, Biographies and Testimonies, 1806 - 1907 Vol 1, Volume 1 (pages 265-269). Henry had a brother George DeWitt
- Henry DeWitt appears in the 1850 census who lived with writer of the Sacred Roll Philemon Stewart at the time! Lived with eight guys. Here on the shaker list.
- Henry did the book binding of the Holy and Sacred Roll.
- A collection of hymns and spiritual songs improved in our worship : New Lebanon, February 16th, 1834 / 1834-1841
- LAURA ANN JACOBS -
- SARAH MARIA LEWIS.
- Could this be shaker Sarah Ann Lewis?
- A Sarah A. Lewis born in 1813 appears several times on this shaker list
- Appears in the 1875 New York Census.
- SARAH ANN SPENCER.
- A Sarah Spencer born in 1786 appears on this shaker list.
- LUCINDA MCDONIELS.
- A Lucinda McDonald born in 1821 appears on this Shaker list.
- Lucinda McDonald in the 1860 census in New Lebanon NY at age 37, census shows living in the same household as Louisa Chamberlain (above)
- MARIA HEDRICK.
- A Maria Hedrick born in 1824 appears on this Shaker List.
- She's here in the
- 1850 Census - living in New Lebanon NY
- 1860 Census - a Seamstress age 35,
- 1870 census - listed as doing "house work"
- 1880 Census still in New Lebanon NY, listed as a Shaker and single.
Top shaker resources:
- https://www.shakermuseum.us/
- https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Shakers
- Shaker Autobiographies, Biographies and Testimonies, 1806 - 1907 Vol 1
- Writings of Shaker Apostates and Anti-Shakers, 1782-1850 Vol 2
Volume 2 - Shaker manuscripts
- https://hancockshakervillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Guide-I.pdf