“In the evening most of the believers met [for] the first time publicly in this place…. A. Dunlavy who had never before been exercised, was taken with shaking & Jerking from that to dancing, which continued for 4 hours with scarce any intermission.”
“Daniel Potters wife an unbeliever & had a for a long time been a bitter opposer in time of labouring, broke fourth by the power of God, Jerking & dancing with her hair all over her face….”
“In my serious reflections and enquiries after the salvation of my soul, the various noise and exercise of the people would oftentimes stagger me. I was sometimes rather doubtful, and almost led to believe that it was all enthusiasm and strong delusion….”
“When any ask me to explain all these antics or exercises, I say I do not explain what I do not understand. Many who had these exercises did not understand them—would not account for them. I am not called to analyze or methodize the jerks: have no tools for that work….”
“[O]ne of the [Shaker] Sisters looked sternly and solemnly at him when all of a sudden he was taken with the jirks and was jirked around the house and thro’ the brush and bushes and would at times be thrown…completely heels over head, flat on his back, and the [hickory] staff which he held in his hand would be thrown 20 or 30 feet from him….”
