Daily Readings

Shakers use the New English Translation (NET) of the Bible.
You can click here to search the Bible passage.

We also recommend watching Brother Arnold’s weekly Sunday Bible Reading videos here.

Morning Bible Readings

Thursday, February 1
Romans 3:29-31
Luke 19:11-27

Friday, February 2
Romans 4:1-22
Luke 20:1-8

Saturday, February 3
Romans 4:23-25
Luke 20:9-18

Sunday, February 4 [Epiphany 5]
Psalm 36
Proverbs 2:1-9
1 Corinthians 3:18-23
Matthew 12:38-42

Monday, February 5
Romans 5:1-14
Luke 20:19-26

Tuesday, February 6
Romans 5:15-21
Luke 20:27-40

Wednesday, February 7
Romans 6:1-14
Luke 20:41 – 21:4

Thursday, February 8
Romans 6:15-23
Luke 21:5-11

Friday, February 9
Romans 7:1-11
Luke 21:12-24

Saturday, February 10
Romans 7:12-13
Luke 21:25-28

Sunday, February 11 [Epiphany 6]
Psalm 43
2 Samuel 12:1-10
Romans 1:18-25
Matthew 13:24-30

Monday, February 12
Romans 7:14-25
Luke 21:29-38

Tuesday, February 13
Romans 8:1-8
Matthew 3:1-17

Wednesday, February 14 [Ash Wednesday]
Isaiah 58:1-8
Luke 18:9-14

Thursday, February 15
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Luke 9:22-25

Friday, February 16

Isaiah 58:1-9
Matthew 9:14-15

Saturday, February 17
Isaiah 58:9-14
Luke 5:27-32

Sunday, February 18 [Lent 1]
Psalm 91:1-12
Genesis 4:1-10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Luke 4:1-13

Monday, February 19
Leviticus 19:1-18
Matthew 25:31-46

Tuesday, February, 20
Isaiah 55:10-11
Matthew 6:7-15

Wednesday, February 21
Jonah 3
Luke 11:29-32

Thursday, February 22
Esther 14:1-14
Matthew 7:7-12

Friday, February 23
Ezekiel 18:21-28
Matthew 5:20-26

Saturday, February 24
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Matthew 5:43-48

Sunday, February 25 [Lent 2]
Psalm 18:18-26
Genesis 7:17-24
1 John 3:1-10
Matthew 12:22-32

Monday, February 26
Daniel 9:4-10
Luke 6:36-38

Tuesday, February 27
Isaiah 1:10-20
Matthew 23:1-12

Wednesday, February 28 [Father James]2 Timothy 4:1-8
Matthew 6:24-26

Thursday, February 29 [Mother Ann]Revelation 7:13-17
Matthew 10:16-22

Meeting in the Evening Readings from the Testimonies

Noontime Bible Readings

Thursday, February 1 Psalms 23, 148

Friday, February 2 Psalms 124, 149

Saturday, February 3 Psalms 20, 150

Monday, February 5 Psalms 95, 145

Tuesday, February 6 Psalms 113, 146

Wednesday, February 7 Psalms 131, 147

Thursday, February 8 Psalms 127, 148

Friday, February 9 Psalms 133, 149

Saturday, February 10 Psalms 47, 150

Monday, February 12 Psalms 8, 145

Tuesday, February 13 Psalms 122, 146

Wednesday, February 14 Psalms 87, 147

Thursday, February 15 Psalms 121, 148

Friday, February 16 Psalms 123, 149

Saturday, February 17 Psalms 91, 150

Monday, February 19 Psalms 24, 145

Tuesday, February 20 Psalms 98, 146

Wednesday, February 21 Psalms 29, 147

Thursday, February 22 Psalms 84, 148

Friday, February 23 Psalms 93, 149

Saturday, February 24 Psalms 15, 150

Monday, February 26 Psalms 4, 145

Tuesday, February 27 Psalms 99, 146

Wednesday, February 28 Psalms 100, 147

Thursday, February 29 Psalm 114, 148

Benches in the Shaker Chapel, Sabbathday Lake Maine
Daily Shaker Particulars

February 1

At the Square House when some were going to be sent out as laborers, Mother said to them, “Take your swords, and see that they have two edges, and not when you have preached to others, you become castaways. Take care of yourselves.”

February 2

Father James, in speaking at the Square House observed how souls would be exposed if they stepped aside and got on to the enemy’s ground. “For the way of God is laid out, and it is straight and narrow and if you get on to the enemy’s ground you are in danger. Just think of a leaf driven by the wind on the snow crust.” This he brought as a comparison.

February 3

After Mother and the Elders came from Stonington and before they returned to Watervliet, Father James spoke to some who were heads of families that had considerable property, such as Zacchaeus Stevens, Jeremiah Willard, etc., and said to them, “This is a barren land, and hard to get a living on and there is Brother Aaron Jewett, he takes in all the needy and how charitable he is to them. And you must be kind to him and help him and God will bless you, and God will bless this place.”

February 4

When Father James took his last leave of the Believers at Harvard at the Square House and they had been in meeting till late at night, while we were kneeling with our faces to the floor and Father with the rest, I moved along up behind Father and put my hands on the heels of his shoes and my face to my hands. When Father raised his face from the floor he said, “The time is at hand when we, (meaning those who came from England) shall all be gone and you will have to stand and keep the way of God for yourselves, each one for one; then if you could find us by crossing the ocean as going from one end of the earth to the other, you would do it, but this you will not be able to do.” This was a very affecting season.

February 5

At Enfield, the last time I ever saw Father James, (in his last sickness) he said to me and a number more who were present, “Remember this thing and lay it up, don’t ever throw yourselves away, though you be fallen ever so low; it is never too late to cry to God.” This he repeated several times.

February 6

Sister Jemima in speaking of the first Elders said, that she had seen Father William and Father James on their knees and around each other’s necks an hour at a time, sorrowing, that they might bring the people into that gift and sometimes they would most all come into it.

February 7

One time at the South House, after meeting was over, Father James went into a gift of visions and prophecies and spoke of the order, beauty and glory that would be for the rising generation, “But (said Father) greater power of God will never be on the earth than now is.”

February 8

Father James said if the Devil found a man idle, he would set him to work.

At Watervliet Brother Amos heard Mother, Father William and Father James say that it was by the people’s being so unwise and uncultivated, that the persecution was brought on.

February 9

Br. Amos also told me that one time at Watervliet, Brother Elizur Goodrich and he went out before breakfast to chopping wood and when they came in for their breakfast, Mother Ann got it, and waited upon the table. Mother said to them, “Eat as much as you can.” After eating pretty well Mother said, “Have you not eaten enough?” “Nay Mother,” said Elizur, “Mother told us to eat as much as we could.” “Well,” said Mother, “meats and drinks will not destroy the work of God out of the soul.” When they had finished their breakfast, Mother said, “Now you must put your hands to work and be faithful.”

February 10

At one time when Brother Abijah Worster was going to Stonington [MA] to preach to the world, Father James said to him, “Don’t reprove them for their sins, for you will only get a club on your head if you do and it will do you no good. You may hold up Christ and the cross to them.”

February 11

When Mother deceased at Watervliet, Father Eleazer Rand and Brother Abiathar Babbitt dug her grave and Brother Abijah Worster made her coffin. Father James spoke at the grave and said, “Here lie my two friends who came from England and would to go, if it was the will of God that I lay here with them.

February 12

Father William and Father Calvin Harlow came from Ashfield to Petersham to David Hammonds and when coming down the hill 20 rods or over before they got to the house, they were heard crying. On arriving at the house, they got off from their horses and tied them, then knelt down on the doorstep and had a gift of sorrow; the family gathered into the entry and knelt also. Over this dear step the mob dragged Mother Ann when she was carried off to Peckham’s in the middle of the town in the night, and on this doorstep, Father James was knocked down the same night when he had hold of Mother, trying to keep her.

February 13

After the mob had carried Mother off, Father James went alone to Thomas Shattuck’s where I then lived and notified Thomas and Abel Shattuck and requested them to go and see if they could settle the matter and get Mother. Then Father went to the barn alone and lay down in the hay till daybreak before he had anything done to his face. His upper lip was swelled out most even with the end of his nose, and his under jaw was much swollen.

After Father came out of the barn in the morning, he took Mother’s cap and handkerchief out of his pocket, (The handkerchief was of slate colored silk which she wore over her cap) and said, “That was the last handful I could get of Mother.”

February 14

The people in Petersham, who settled this wicked affair of abuse to Mother Ann and Father James, signed a writing stating that Mother or any of her children might after that time pass through the town peaceably without being molested and they generally kept their promise.

February 15

Brother John said that Father William’s gift at Petersham was that if there were weak Believers among them, they might hear testimony against the evil, but not to lay hands on them, to shake them about, or anything of the kind.

February 16

Elder John Warner, speaking of faith, Brother John said that Father William’s gift at Petersham was that if there were weak Believers among them, they might bear testimony against the evil, but not to lay hands on them, to shake them about, or anything of the kind.

February 17

Elder John Warner, speaking of faith said, “You ought not to speak of faith in this way, to say when anything comes a little crossing, that is not according to my faith, but look into the case and examine and see if it is not more contrary to your present feelings than it is to your faith. Faith is an emanation from God, it is of God. I well remember of hearing Father James say, “Take ye the shield of faith, whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” And Father James said, “True faith was to believe a thing to be what it is.”

February 18

Mother spoke to some women who were with her and said, “When I was young in the faith as you are, and was laboring out of my loss, if I only heard the name of Jesus Christ, it would make me all of a glowing sweat; how can you be so careless! Do not be afraid of mortification and tribulation, it made me hunger more and more and cry to God more.”

February 19

At another time she said, “Don’t say you have done as well as you can, or as well as you can, or as well as you know how, [I understand this meant on occasion of being reproved for a fault] the wicked world can say they have done as well as they could, or as well as they knew how. You have got to do right, to do the will of God.”

February 20

My occupation was in the King’s service. I was an officer in the highest company of the regiment of grenadiers. I wore my scarlet colored clothes and long hair, down to waistband of my trousers and walked the street with my cane. I always meant to treat mankind well, but I would not take a miss-beholden word from any man.

Mother sent for me to come and see her. I went and she spoke the word of God to me, and I was convinced that I was a lost soul.

February 21

I said to Mother, “What shall I do?” She said, “Go and throw up your commission, settle up your affairs, strip off your pride, and then come to me.” “I went and did as Mother said. I dressed myself in mean, low apparel, and when I walked the streets and people saw what an alteration there was in me, they mocked me, they ridiculed me; yea little boys not more than seven years old would throw dirt at me and abuse me. Was not this enough to kill old Adam? I found I had been a wicked man and I put my hands sharp to work in the daytime and labored to God for His gifts and power in the night season and repented. I washed my face with tears till I felt God speak peace to my soul.”

February 22

At another time Father said, “You must know by the gift of God that you do the will of God, then you will feel strong.”

February 23

To a young man who came to see them and had been there sometime, Father said, “Go wash your face and hands clean and cut off that nasty bunch of long hair and go to Samuel Fitch and confess your sins; then come and I will reason with you. Though your sins be as scarlet they shall become white as snow, though they be red like crimson they shall become as wool.” Afterwards he said to him, “If you do not mean to do as I have said, then take your horse and go away, for you have heard as much as will be for your good.”

February 24

Upon an occasion of absence from Mother, Father William said, “I want to go to my Mother; I am sick to see my Mother; I had no God till I had a Mother; how could I be born without a Mother! What reason I have to bless God except for my Mother?”

February 25

“When we came into America, we had nothing but our hand labor for our support. Foxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests, but we had not where to lay our heads. We believed in the promises of God and that we were sent here by Him. I saw the day then that I would have gone twenty miles on my hands and knees, to see one person in America that owned the way of God.”

February 26

Father, speaking to some who were going home from the Church, by way of encouragement said, “Had you seen your loss as you see it now and seen no way out, you would have destroyed your own lives. See how the mercy of God has come to you and shown you the way of life and salvation. You never will travel out of your loss only by repentance. If you repent and obey the gospel, it will make you thankful, and joyful and sorrowful.”

February 27

He said, “How can souls be more deluded that to profess to be Christians, members of Christ’s body, and live in sin! Let Church and congregation all of them meet together and go forth in those works they practice in secret, and they would cry out with confusion of face and say this is not serving God.” Priest and people, professor and profane would say, “This is the work of the Devil.” Were it not for a false hope that mankind were traditionalized in their priest and teachers, when they hear the gospel, they would become penitents.”

February 28

Father James also said, “The sound of repentance will yet be the most joyful sound ever heard by mortals.”

February 29

Mother Ann Lee was a woman, in nature, of a strong constitution, rather exceeding the ordinary size of women; very straight and well-proportioned in form, or rather thick; of a light complexion, and blue eyes; her hair of a light chestnut brown. In appearance, she was very majestic, and her countenance was such as inspired confidence and respect; and by many of the world, who saw her without prejudice, she was called beautiful. To her faithful children, she appeared to possess a degree of dignified beauty and heavenly love transcending that of mortals.

She possessed remarkable powers and faculties of mind, in nature, which were greatly enlarged and strengthened by the gift of God. At times, when under the power and operation of the Holy Ghost, her countenance shone with the glory of God, and her form and actions were divinely beautiful, and very angelic. Her power and influence, at such times, were great beyond description; and no one was able to gainsay or resist the power by which she spoke.

Though Mother’s words were generally few, they were always adapted to the occasion; and it did not appear that she ever spoke in vain. Her whole soul was always engaged in the work of God, and the spirit of God seemed to breathe out in all her words and actions.

So great and God-like was the power of her spirit, that with a few words, and often with a single word, or touch of her hand, she would instantly raise individuals, and sometimes a whole assembly, from a state of the deepest tribulation and distress of soul to a state of the most heavenly joy and comfort. Again, she has often ministered in a few words, to a whole assembly, such a measure of the power of conviction and repentance, that in a few minutes the floor has been wet with tears.

She inspired, into the hearts of her children, the greatest fear of God, and commanded the most unbounded love and respect, of any person living. Her countenance was mild and lovely; yet grave and solemn. In reproof she was terrible; in admonition she was quick, sharp, and powerful as lightening; yet always careful not to hurt the oil and wine; but labored to save all that God owned.

She possessed a degree of discernment and penetration, which nothing short of Divine power and wisdom could inspire. In her labors with young Believers, she seemed to penetrate the inmost recesses of their souls; and would often lay open, before them, the state of their minds, far more clearly than they were able to do of themselves. It seemed that nothing could be hidden from her; and, in whatever she asserted for truth, though, at the time, ever so doubtful to others, she was never known to be, in the least, mistaken.