[Anon.], ‘The Shaker Concert’ (Dedham, MA),Norfolk Democrat, 5 February 1847, p. 3

Of all the grotesque religious theories ever yet devised by the ingenuity of man, it is doubtful whether any exceed that adopted and practiced by the Shaking Quakers. Yet they defend and ground their system of worship upon the same Bible as other Christians do, with such exceptions as best suit themselves. Their peculiar rites and forms of worship, their singing, clapping, running, marching, shouting, shaking and dancing, are all taught them from inspiration; not exactly by the Apostles, but by “inspired Shakers,” who have learnt them, as they tell us, during a personal visit to the heavenly realms, or received them in a vision, by inspiration from above.