Introduction

Orphaned Elizabeth and her siblings have been embraced by this community and despite the hard work and strange new beliefs around her, Elizabeth is relieved to have a roof overhead and food to eat. But, Elizabeth feels a strong attachment to a handsome young Believer named Ethan, life gets complicated.

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Excerpt

She pulled the paper out and stared at the Shaker seed
package that had fallen out of her father's Bible. One can
always find an answer in God's Word. Her father's voice was
so clear in her head that she looked around to be sure he
wasn't beside her, but of course, she was alone. That's where
you must look for answers.
The Shakers. Her father had told her of the Shakers when
he brought the seeds in last spring. They lived over in the next
county. He had gone there. Said it was a beautiful place with
great stone buildings and plentiful crops. A village, he said.
“But what are Shakers?” she had asked.
They were sitting on the porch steps as night fell softly
around them. Hannah had fallen asleep in their father's lap
and he had carried her to bed before coming back out to the
porch. Payton was inside by the lamp, reading the new book
their father had brought home with him.
“A religious sect,” her father answered as he leaned back
against the porch post and stroked Aristotle's head absentmindedly
as he talked. In his other hand, he still held the seeds.
“They are called Shakers because in their worship they are
sometimes so stricken by a feeling of spirit that their bodies
shake or they whirl about in a sort of dance.”
“That sounds odd.” Elizabeth frowned as she tried to imagine
it.
“So it is. A bit odd. They claim to be shaking off the sin
of worldliness. And they all dress much alike. The women
in white aprons over blue dresses with caps to cover their
hair, and the men in dark pants and blue shirts. Similar to
the Quakers back in the old settlements. Except the Shakers
don't believe in matrimony.”
“How can they worship the Lord and not believe in matrimony?
Doesn't the Bible say to go forth and be fruitful?
Surely one should marry to do that.”
“As best I could understand, they don't believe in that sort
of relationship between a man and a woman. They live as
brothers and sisters and claim the Lord revealed this as his
will through visions in the last century to someone they call
Mother Ann. She set forth their purpose. 'Hands to work,
hearts to God.'” He stared down at the seed package as if he
saw the words there.
“That doesn't sound so different from what the preacher
back in the church in Springfield used to tell us. The part about
hearts to God.” Elizabeth looked at her father. He seemed very
impressed with these people. “Did they convince you of the
truth of their ways?”
“No, no,” he said quickly. Then he looked away toward
the sky. “I did feel a peace there in their village that I have
not felt since I lost your dear mother. But no, they didn't
convince me of the sin of matrimony. What your mother
and I shared was not a sin but a gift of love from God. Nor
would I want to give up fatherhood and only be a brother
to my children.” He reached over and touched her hand
with affection.
“But how do they have children in their midst without
relationships to produce offspring?”
“They take in all who come to their door. Those they have
converted by persuasion and also orphans with the hope that,
in time, they will come to trust in the Shaker ways. They don't
turn away anyone in need. They have plentiful food and kind
hearts. At least so it seemed for the ones I met.”
“And must those they feed believe?”
“Not at all. They must work and follow the rules of the
Shakers, but they are allowed to leave if they so choose or
to sign a Covenant of Belief when they come of age if they
decide to join the Shakers as believers.”
Elizabeth studied her father's face. She could no longer see
his expression for the light had grown dim, but she detected
a strange yearning in his voice. “You sound as if you wish you
could have believed.”
“There was peace there, my Elizabeth. And a school for
Hannah. You know yourself she should be in school. There
were woodcarvers and architects and many who seemed
blessed with great talent and wisdom. I think you are right.
I did wish I could believe.” He sighed and stuffed the seed
packet into his shirt pocket. “But I did not. We will plant
their beans tomorrow and see how they grow.”
The beans had grown well. Produced more than any beans
they had ever planted.
Now Elizabeth smoothed out the packet and laid it on the
table. It was her answer. They would go to the Shakers.
... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. After her father's death, Elizabeth didn't know how she and her siblings were going to survive. When she found the Shaker seed package in her father's Bible, she thought it not just chance but an answer to prayer. Do you agree and have you ever experienced a similar feeling that the Lord dropped something in front of your eyes so that you could see the answer to a prayer?
2. Ethan worried that the bad seed of his father would grow and flower within him. Do you think he had a reasonable concern? Are we destined to have the traits of our biological parents in spite of our upbringing?
3. One of the Shakers' aims was to shut away the world in order to establish a community where they could live a perfect life here on earth. Do you think they were successful or ever could be successful in this hope this side of heaven?
4. Hannah had difficulty living under the Shaker rules. Do you think that Hannah was born with this gift of a free spirit or that the child simply lacked the proper discipline in her life as the Shaker teacher claimed? If Hannah had allowed the Shakers to squelch her spirit, would you have liked her as much as a character?
5. The Shakers believed that the family unit of mother, father, and children was the reason for much of the stress in life. That's why they separated families and lived as brothers and sisters. Do you think the marital unit is the source of disharmony and stress? Or do you feel the family unit is God's plan?
6. When Elizabeth realizes she is falling in love with Ethan and he seems to be attracted to her as well, she determines to stay away from him and not be a stumbling block in his spiritual path. Do you think this is what she should have done, or should she have tried to convince him the Shaker beliefs were wrong?
7. Elizabeth promised Hannah they would leave the Shakers in the spring if Hannah wasn't happier by then. Do you think this is a promise she should have made? Would you say God honored this promise?
8. Sister Lettie thought Elizabeth had a gift for healing, and she wanted Elizabeth to stay with the Shakers and learn about herbal medicines and medical treatments from her so that Elizabeth could eventually take over those duties among the Believers. Do you think if it hadn't been for her promise to Hannah, Elizabeth would have stayed with the Believers and learned to be content among their Society?
9. Hannah set a fire in the hopes that Payton would be blamed and thus made to leave the Shakers. She wanted her family to stay together. Have you ever done something you knew was wrong and excused yourself because you thought the end justified the means? Do you think the end ever justifies the means if those means are wrong behavior?
10. Ethan said that Brother Issachar was the father of his heart. Why do you think he felt that way? Do you think family relationships are built more on actions in our daily lives or actual bloodlines? Which do you feel is most important in establishing family ties?
11. Brother Issachar told both Elizabeth and Ethan to follow their hearts before he died. What do you think he was trying to tell them?
12. Ethan left the Shakers to save Elizabeth from Colin Linley. But then once he accomplished that, he couldn't seem to move forward toward a future with Elizabeth or backward to his life with the Believers. Why do you think he felt so at a loss about what to do next? Do you think he and Elizabeth could be happy together?

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